Antivenom
by Lordrereland
Summary: A Scolipede finds himself in an unknown world. His regular indifference kicks in quickly enough, but his life changes into a repeating cycle. What will become of "The Venom Bandit"? Mystery Dungeon, and the first Scolipede fanfiction on the site!
1. ICanderackI Nothin' but history

Antivenom

Chapter I

"It's nothin' but History."

__**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Story told entirely from first person view, save with a bit of necessary third person narration. Chapter names indicate the character in the story whose point of view is being followed. Thank you, and enjoy the story.

_Who are you?_

_Actually, I don't care._

_Go away._

_I'll beat you up._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Fine. I'll talk. Just don't annoy me, or I'll beat you up._

_My name is Canderack. Scolipede. And I'm going to tell you something, and you better keep this in mind._

_I beat people up._

_I beat 'em up for looking at me the wrong way._

_I beat 'em up for calling me fat._

_I beat 'em up for trying to make me pay back for having beaten __those__ chumps up._

_You got that? Good._

_It all started a month or two ago. I was perfectly fine 'til I realized: Where the hell am I? This place doesn't feel like home. And it wasn't._

_I was far from home._

_Real far._

_In fact, I don't think I could've gotten back home. I was somewhere else entirely, in some grassy clearing among a lot of trees. The best part about it, was it was quiet. Barely a sound, not even from those annoying things with wings that make stupid high-pitched sounds all day. I was so ready to call this place home within ten minutes time, I think._

_'Til some bunch of kiddos come by. One of 'em was one of them midgety blue penguin things, and it had some kinda arm-slung bag or something. That one was tailed by one of those green lizard-y things with two tails with the ends kinda looking like fists ready to sock you in the face. After that one was another lizard, but kinda orangey red with a little fire on it's butt. They were gonna make a lot of noise, I thought._

_Damn was I right about it, too. They started pointing at me and started sayin' I look weird and like they never saw "One of Those" before. They just mosied over to me like I was some kinda petting zoo exhibit. I growled, but they didn't care. Then they poked me in the gut and said I looked fat._

_I beat them up two seconds after._

_I made them cry for their mommies._

_After I knew they were totally out cold, they just disappeared into nothing. Boy did __I__ think that was trippy. Once I was satisfied that they were gone, they left that bag behind. I nudged it open with my nose, and out tumbled some stuff they had. Nothing really that neat, just some berries and a few coin-y objects with a "P" on them. Some kinda money, I thought._

_I sat down, chilling out, getting used to the calm mellow of the world I just got into. I could deal with it, even if it threw annoying kiddies like that at me every now and then. I sat in the sun, taking in the heat. I liked the heat. It made me warm. I smiled for a change, at peace with myself. Life seemed so simple right there._

_Of course, it was too good to last. I got snapped back to reality when some douchebag started shouting. I stood up, shaking my head, then looked in the direction of the sound. A couple of those floaty ball thingies with U things stuck to the sides and T thingies on their heads were busy spewing a bunch of crap at me. They were making noise. I didn't like noise._

_They called me some kinda "criminal" or "outlaw" or some crap like that. Those stupid kids probably said something about me after I made them shut up, 's the only thing I could think of. They told me to "come quietly". As much as I liked the "quiet" part, they weren't making me go anywhere. I turned around, and dug my feet into the grass. I growled loudly, giving them a pret-ty good warning that they were gonna get beat up if they tried anything._

_They responded by shooting electric bolts at me. I shrugged them off._

_I curled up into a wheel, and sped at them. I took one of them out as quick as you could say "Wabbajack". Uncurling, I turned around. The other one was scared stiff. Then he tried running away to go get help._

_I didn't let him. I ran him over, too._

_They disappeared just like those kids, but they didn't have a bag with stuff with them. Pity. I wanted to know what they might've took with them. I took to the middle of the clearing again, letting myself bake in the sun. I already knew I'd have to deal with more of those douches sooner or later, but I wanted to sit around and enjoy what I had with me._

_Boy did I hit the hammer right on the nail when I said there'd be more. I'm gonna spare you the agony of every little chump I had to beat up, and say I beat them up. Most of the day, really. The good part of it though, was that they kept having those bags of stuff. I decided to take the stuff out and pile it up so I could keep track of the stuff I managed to win out of all these fights._

_It sort-of dawned on me that I might've been in some kinda huge tournament or colliseum or something, 'cause I was getting free stuff for all of my wins against these weaklings. But no, there wasn't any announcer or anything. Not that I was ever in a tournament, but my folks always told me they'd train me to be fit for one. If this was a tournament, these people suck. Or it's some kind of minor league._

_So the days rolled by, and all the fighting I did was starting to show in the clearing. Some of the grass was torn, maybe a tree or two had fallen. On another note, a bunch of guys who were also "outlaws", or whatever the crap they wanted to call themselves, stopped by every now and then. Some woody-looking guy with white stuff on him and weird feet and a couple of his woody-looking-with-a-leaf-on-their-head guy goons, a big rocky guy that was green and had a blue belly, and that snake guy with an ugly face on his body that tried to look scary. I hated them as much as I hated all those other chumps, but they didn't try to make me do anything, so I left them alone. They tried to talk to me, but I didn't try to. They just try to butter me up by saying just how much of a name I'm making for myself._

_I hated having a name for myself. That means people wouldn't stop bugging me._

_But, without any amazement from me, I had to keep beating up random schmucks who wanted to "bring me to justice" or "get back what I stole". What a bunch of crap. I earned that stuff they left me, fair and square. Speaking of the stuff, I had started getting a good hoard going. Lots of berries and coins, but there were also some soft things that they wore around their necks sometimes, or maybe some kinda weird little thing I couldn't even hold. All that pile could keep doing was get bigger as the days passed._

_What really annoyed me was that snake chump. He really kept coming to see me for Arceus knows why. Maybe he wanted to be chummy with me or something, but I sure wasn't buying it. 'Course, he couldn't tell if I wasn't buying it either, 'cause I never talk to people. I don't like talking to people. People annoy me._

_The nice clearing I had started to look like some kind of warzone as I battled. The grass was torn up, burned, rocks might've been scattered around the place, too. Toppled trees ringed the area, like some kind of fake arena. I wanted to go somewhere else, but I didn't feel like it. The sun was too nice to leave alone. I liked the sun. It kept me warm._

_Sometimes a whole bunch of those outlawsy types would stop by for a little get-together, and hail me as the "host" or something. I didn't care, so long as they didn't bug me to do anything for them specifically. I just want to be left alone. But no, they didn't want to. They wanted me to be their biggest, bestest friend in the whole damn world. They could go die in a hole or burn in a fire._

_Without repeating myself, that's basically how about a month and a half passed by. "Outlaws" trying to be chummy, chumps trying to "bring me in", my goodie pile getting bigger and bigger, and me?_

_I was getting stronger and stronger._

_That's pretty much how I got known as "The Venom Bandit", or whatever they called me. At least they decided to give me some kinda title that I sorta liked. Those punks at least know how to show a little respect to someone who could kick their sorry asses all the way home._

_So what do you wanna do about it, huh? What?_

_Nothin'?_

_Good._

_Tomorrow ain't gonna be any different, anyway. Beat 'em up, take the goods, deal with those annoying douches._


	2. ICanderackI Life changes that way

Antivenom

Chapter II

"Life changes that way."

_So._

_It's tomorrow._

_I barely got more than two winks, these justice-types are so ridiculous. I want to sleep. Sleep is good..._

_So I doze off._

_I wake up a little bit later, nothing seems different. 'Cept for me. I got some sleep. I like sleep. Sleep is cozy._

_I get up off the ground, and trot over to my pile of stuff. I nudge some of it around, looking at what I got. I pluck a berry or two from the pile and munch on them, 'cause I'll need the energy to beat up more of these chumps who want me out of here. And they're blaming me for tearing up the place, too. Why don't these people know that _they're_ the ones giving me crap, and I'm just not putting up with it? Why? What the hell do they want from me?_

_I don't actually get that much trouble, today. Maybe they're wising up and realizing that I'm not going anywhere, and they're just throwing a bunch of little rocks at a... a... a bigger rock. A much bigger rock. But I beat them up anyways, and I take their stuff. I look around at my hoard, and I feel a little good inside. I remembered when I first took the stuff from those color-coded kiddies. It felt good to teach them a lesson._

_After I got done remembering things like that, I remembered that snakey was gonna come by. Said he wanted to bring a snack, or something. Thing is, he loved to eat something he calls "Onions". I know that name, back home. It's something humans used for their food. I think it made people cry. Now that I think about it, if he eats something that makes him cry, he's probably gotta be a -bit- tough to stand it. What I don't get is why he says he has to work real hard for "Onions". What's so hard about getting some kinda vegetable, or something? You just rip it out of the ground and eat it. Like how I used to get berries: Rip 'em off the bushes and eat 'em._

_I walked around my "Turf" for a bit. I looked at the damage, the scars, the stuff done to the land that won't have it heal any time soon. It looked ugly. I hated ugly. It makes me want to barf._

"Hey, big guy! Howzitgoin'?"

_What?_

_Oh._

_It's that woody-looking guy and his cronies. What did they want?_

Garturunk, the "Woody-looking" Pokémon in question, and his two nuzleaf followers, stroll over to Canderack. He pats him on the side, laughing.

"You still sittin' out here? You really oughta-", he started.

_I growled. He took his hands off of me. He should know better than to start touching me. I hated it when people touched me. They'd probably call me fat._

"Y'know, how long've you been here? Three weeks?"

_Five. What a dumbass..._

"Y'know, it just came to me. You just come right outta nowhere, and you start beatin' people up. What's your motivation? Whaddayou want outta all this?"

_To be left alone, douchebag. Go away, already. I hate it when they ask questions, they got no right to ask me where I come from._

"Whaddayou gonna do with all that cash? Nobody ever gonna sell to you, or buy any of that junk y'got there!"

_I snarled, narrowing my eyes. I didn't want this crap exactly, but I kept it because I deemed it mine. He could've taken it if he wanted, but no. They think it's mine and that I have to keep it. On the plus side, he shut up and backed off._

Garturunk's goons talk to eachother about theories, until their boss shuts them up.

"Shush, you dopes! He don't feel like talkin' 'bout it. Never really did. He's just cool like that, I reckon. Now, let's get outta here. We got hapless Pokémon to rob!"

And without any fanfare, they leave the scene.

_I glare at them as they leave. 'Course, they aren't lookin'. Not that I care. They're a bunch of idiots anyway, and I don't like them at all. "Outlaws". I hate being an outlaw. I have to deal with all this attention I don't 's so good about everyone wanting to try and beat you up and make you do things you don't want to, anyway? Do they get off on the rush, or something?_

Canderack continued to sit around, and basked in the sun's glow. The warmth it gave off comforted his mind, taking off the stress he seems to put up for himself. His own existence felt simple: Fight, live, repeat. Ah, if only it were that simple...

_I dozed off again, 'cause I felt sleepy still. I liked sleep. It meant I didn't have to deal with everything. 'Course, I was rudely awoken by someone shouting. Probably another tool or two who wanted to fight me. I got up off the ground, shaking my head again. I looked over my shoulder, and, a little bit to my surprise, snakey was there. He had something coiled up in his tail. It wouldn't stop wiggling and making noise. It was probably what woke me up. I hate being woken up from my sleep. It means someone's being a douche._

_I grunted, waiting for snakey to get over to me. He stops moving, and he displays what he's holding. I narrowed my eyes, squinting at it. It was one of them white-skinned-green-haired things that wore flappy stuff. I looked back to snakey, wondering just what the hell he was doing._

"Ssssorry, Venom Bandit. I'm going to be here a while. Brought a little "Sssssnack" for the day."

_The white-skinned thingy kept squirming. When it caught eye of me, it stopped for a second, than really started wiggling around. Snakey covered it's mouth. Hmuh. So __that's__ what he calls an "Onion". Doesn't look like a vegetable to me, though. Maybe the ones humans have and he has are different. The place I'm in now is different from home._

"Sssso, Venom Bandit, how've you fared? Defeat any more of those pessssky officccersss, today? Or maybe the explorersssss who want your bounty?"

_Hell if I cared. I moreso wondered how long he'd keep holding that "Onion" 'fore he got tired and it slipped away. Probably nowhere, that guy was massive. He makes me look short, and the "Onion" look like a midget. I grunted in reply to his question, not that I gave a flying crap._

"I sssee. Beat down plenty. It'sss good to know that there'sss sssomeone who can show that opposssing the 'Rulesss' isss asss gratifying asss it ssseemsss."

_His hissy accent was starting to piss me off. I looked back at the "Onion". It was staring back at me, as it tried to escape. I trotted over, before nudging it with my nose. It really winced as I touched it. Geez, what's up with these "Onions"? Then again, it probably knew I beat up people for a living. Even though I didn't want to. Still, I liked beating people up. It made me feel better than everyone else._

"Aaah, I don't know if you like to eat sssomething like thisss. Thessse onesss alwaysss fight when they go down. It addsss to the flavor."

_Gross. He shouldn't be that big of a douche, should at least -kill it- before he eats it. I've eaten other Pokémon before, I made sure they were dead as a rock first. I grunted in return to his statement._

"Ahhh, good to sssee you agree, Venom Bandit. Jussst thinking about it..."

He turns to stare at his prey, closely. Their eyes lock, and the "Onion" sweats, eyes shrinking. He licks his chops.

"... Makesss me huuungrryyyyy."

_I grunted again, louder. That asshole was NOT going to eat a live meal in front of me._

"Very well, I'll endulge you, Venom Bandit."

_Then I watched. He gently got his maw around the "Onion"'s head. I coulda swore it started to cry as he started to shove it down. It kept kicking and screaming and fighting. I turned around and stopped looking by the time he was getting to it's legs.I looked back as soon as the noise stopped. I shut one eye sorta, like you were in pain. There was just this... lump, stickin' out. I could faintly hear it crying, still._

Siev, or "Snakey" as Canderack calls him, swishes the tip of his tail against the "lump".

"Aaahhh..."

_I looked off to the side._

_I don't care._

_I don't care._

_I don't care._

_I don't care._

_I don't care._

_I don't care._

_I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't-_

_I cared._

_I kicked that asshole in his smug fucking face. Felt good, too. I'd do it again._

_I looked back at snakey, seeing that he was absolutely out cold.I turned around entirely, and nudged his body around._

_I couldn't believe I was doing this._

_I stepped on him at just the right spot, and got him to spit up the "Onion". It was covered in spit. It was gross. And it was still crying, and panting, and whatever. I just took this guy's food and made him cough it up. I wouldn't have given a crap if he killed it first before he got here. I trotted over to, and sat next to the "Onion". It kept crying, then peekd up at me. It curled into a fetal position._

"P-please, don't hurt me...!", cried out it's feminine voice.

_Oh, please. You're someone else's undigested crap. Why would I want to eat you?_

At that moment, the "Onion" stopped shivering, then peeked back up at Canderack.

"W-wait... You wouldn't? I-I thought you were the ruthless Venom Bandit! Siev himself said you'd eat me if you asked!"

Canderack stared down at her, awestruck.

_Wait, how does this "Onion" know that I don't eat "Onions"?_

"Because, we're not 'Onions'. We're called 'Gardevoir'. I can read your mind."

Canderack pulled his head backwards a bit.

_Stay the hell out of my head! I'll beat you up!_

Siev's would-be prey slowly gets to her feet. She's coated in salivary and some digestive fluids.

"Why don't you just talk to someone? You've been said to make big threats to people."

_I don't like talking to people. I'll beat you up. Get out of my head._

"Are you sure? I don't think you can actually talk to other Pokémon, and you seem to be reinforcing it."

_You got a lot of nerve telling me I can't do crap, lady._

Canderack snarls at her.

"I'll leave you alone if you say something."

_No._

"Come on!"

_No!_

"Please?"

_I just saved your white, skinny butt from being that snake's lunch! And I'M the jackass that everyone wants to take somewhere else 'cause they don't want to leave me alone! AND I could beat you into a pulp that snakey over there could slurp up, and you got the nerve to tell ME to do something?_

"It's okay, it's okay... You can just admit it."

She gives him a hug, wrapping her arms around him just above his gut. Canderack remains silent, staring down at her. Several mintes pass, and they're agonizing for the alleged "Venom Bandit". Would he break under the charm of a damsel he just saved, simply out of pity and disgust?

_... Fine. I can't talk to people. I was never taught how._

"That's the spirit! You aren't very well understood, are you?"

_No, and get your slimy arms off of me. There's no water nearby to clean it off._

She lets go of him, and seems to ponder something for a couple of minutes.

"I want to reward you, for saving my life."

Canderack rolls his eyes.

_Yeah, with what? Being __my__ lunch?_

"What if I took you back to my home? I could teach you a lot of things, and maybe you could get along with everyone else."

_Get all of those other douches to leave me alone? And how do I know you ain't gonna lead me into those jackasses hands, and I have to do crap I don't want to?_

"I didn't expect you to save my life. I thought I was going to die slowly and painfully in Siev's stomach. I don't expect you to trust me to lead you to somewhere else."

Canderack looks off to the side, thinking.

_... Whatever. And take whatever the hell you want from that pile I've got. It means jack crap to me._

She nods, and walks over to the pile, pulling out a familiar exploration kit, stuffing as much as she can into it.

_What've you gotten yourself into? You should've just let him eat her. You should've. You should've just not cared. But no, you had to save her. Now she wants you to do things._

Canderack looks around at his surroundings.

_... This place is a dump, anyway._

The Gardevoir he rescued returns to him, pack slung over her shoulder.

"It'll be a bit of a hike, since Siev took me all the way over here from my explorations in the south. My house is a few miles shy of Treasure Town."

_Treasure Town?_

"Yeah! It's where everyone lives together, and we help eachother."

_You still better not be bringing me to them to turn me in._

"Nonsense... I couldn't do that, even if I really wanted to."

_If you're lying, you get beat up first._

And so, the duo had started a long trek from the northern woods. Canderack's life was going to change, and he had taken the first steps to shedding his infamy like a coccoon.


	3. ICanderackI All sorts of things

Antivenom

Chapter III

"All sorts of things people want you to do."

A month and a half earlier...

"Well?"

"The summoning... failed, sire."

"Impossible. We got every single reagent, every word. There isn't a single possible way it failed."

"Yet there isn't anyone, or anything, in the chamber. The spell must've failed."

"No... Wait. It didn't fail... We merely miscalculated. I feel a foreign presence, somewhere in our world. A presence of... anger, and hatred."

"Shall we set out to find it?"

"That won't be necessary. It'll show itself soon enough."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Back at the present-

_So now I'm stuck with this "Onion" lady. And she can get in my head. On top of that, she wants me to go places. I knew I shouldnt've kicked that stupid snake in his smug-ass face. I knew I shouldnt've. You know, I wonder if she's looking in my head right now and just isn't saying anything. All I do is stare at the back of her head every now and then, as she leads me to her "house" around this "Treasure Town" she was talking about. Damn if I care about this "Town" or whatever, though. They'll probably just try and make me do things I don't wanna do._

_Oh, wait, she's looking at me now._

"Hey, Venom Bandit?"

Canderack grunts in return.

"You got a name? I mean, a real name, and not just that title everyone calls you?"

_Nobody wanted to know my name before. Why do you wanna know now?_

"You saved my life! I should at -least- be entitled to knowing your name!"

_I don't think it works that way, Onion._

"I'm not this 'Onion' or whatever it is! I'm a Gardevoir! And if it'll make it fair, my name's Juniper."

Canderack glares at her.

_Canderack. Now leave me alone._

"Huh. Nice name you've got there."

_Don't butter me up so I won't beat you up later._

"I'm not!"

_Yeah, right._

"Calm down already, would you?"

He grunts again.

"Geez..."

_So we kept walking. Everything else looked the same. We had to beat up some random asshole every now and then, they weren't even after me. They just wanted to fight. So I at least obliged. The "Juniper" girl just stood in the back, doing nothing, watching. Arceus, I don't think this is a good idea. Not at all. I hate bad ideas. They go wrong._

_Thing is, I had nothing better to do. So I kept going with her. 'Cept I kept thinking:_

_What the hell does she want with me? She could've just hauled her white, skinny ass off and left me alone in my patch of sunlight, and I would've been fine. 'Specially since those other jackasses were starting to leave me alone, since I wasn't goin' anywhere, and I wasn't really hunting anyone._

_..._

_Not that I care._

_All we did was keep walking. We stopped for a quick bite to eat once or twice on the way. Not that I was hungry. She was. I didn't trust her. I never did. I was ready to beat her up, and anyone else._

"Hey."

Grunt.

"Why do you want to hurt me so badly? I haven't even done anything to you!"

_I don't think you want to really help me._

"Why wouldn't I want to give you a little help? You saved my LIFE earlier!"

_Yeah, and you could've just left. All of you other chumps are afraid of me._

"I like to think everyone still has some kind of... 'Good', in them."

_I never had any good. I don't care about you people._

"Oh, I'm sure you do. You just don't know, and you don't realize it yet."

_That's a load of crap._

"You'll probably get it sooner or later, I'm sure."

_Stop telling me to be different._

"I'm not."

_You are._

"Oh, stop fighting with me already! Look, we're almost there."

_So we got into, big surprise, another freakin' clearing. 'Cept it had a hill and a half-circle thing house on it. This "Juniper" girl knew how to live, at least... There was a little pond or spring or whatever the crap you wanna call it at the base of the hill, with little flat rocks making a path from the door to the pond... or spring. Thing._

_I hoped the water was warm._

_Then some really short, gray guy with ridge-y things on his head came out the door._

"Juuuuune! You're home-"

_Then the little prick stopped barely anywhere down the hill and stared at me, with his little eyes getting all small and scared._

"Juuuuune..."

"What?"

"Behind you, June!"

"What about him?"

"It's the VENOM BANDIT, June! He's gonna-"

_I grunted to shut the kid up. I was about to beat him into the hill, I swear._

"He's going to be living with us for a while, Mac."

_The little guy's reaction was priceless._

"JUNE! ARE YOU CRAZY!"

"No, Mac. He saved my life!"

_Then he looked all... shocked. I think._

"What?"

"Siev was going to eat me, Mac. And his name isn't 'Venom Bandit', it's Canderack."

_Tell everyone in the world, I swear..._

"... He had a name?"

_I growled loudly. He was starting to piss me off even more._

"Mac, don't be rude."

_Then she looks at me._

"Look, Candy-"

_I nearly roared at the bitch. NOBODY calls me 'Candy'! NOBODY!_

"-Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Alright, I can't really fit you into my house. You're a big guy, after all..."

_She better not be calling me fat..._

"No, you're not fat. You're just tall."

_I better be "Tall"._

"Anyway, I can't have you sit inside. Feel free to stay around out here, though, and sit in the pond. Just... please don't splash all the water around."

He glares at her.

_No promises._

"It's been a long day, and I need some shut-eye. I'm going to bed, you two. Be nice."

_No. Freakin'. Promises. After she said that, she went into the half-circle-house-thing. I decided to walk over to the pond, and dipped my foot in the water. It was pretty warm. I liked warm. It was cozy. So I sat in it. I decided not to make a huge splash, 'cause then there probably wouldn't be any water. It felt good, sitting in the pond._

_The "Mac" kid kept staring at me up on the hill, like he was piss scared to even say anything to me directly. Good on him, I say. He'd probably just piss me off more than he already has. He was so little, and short. I sort-of snorted to myself. "Little Mac". Something about it sounded funny to me. So puny..._

_The warm water felt good. A couple of flowers grew around the lake. I liked flowers. I don't know why. They make me feel... not so pissed off at everything. Maybe it's 'cause they smell nice. I like it when things smell nice. I was having a bitchin' time getting into the feel for the place I'd probably be sitting around it, 'til.._

"So, um... Canderack?"

_I grunted. Now what did that kid want?_

"Did you really save June...?"

_I looked away. To hell with that question. I don't care about either of them._

"Hey, are you listening to me?"

_I didn't really want to, but you keep talking to me. Oh, wait. He's coming over here._

Mac pokes Canderack in the side.

"Hello?"

_I shifted and growled, loudly. Asshole shouldn't be touching me if he knows what's good for him. Lucky for me, he backed off, shivering._

"Guess I'll... talk to you later, then?"

_Then he took off, back into that half-circle house on the hill. Who does he think he is, trying to get me to tell him crap? I'm just trying to get what __I__ want. Nobody else gets anything until I have what I want._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Now that I think about it, what DO I want? All I do is beat up people and sit around in the sun's heat. Or probably this pool, or pond, or whatever the hell you wanna call it. That's it. I don't really got any other reason to wake up and smell the sunshine. I can't really look at all that stuff I took from all those chumps, either. I left it all behind, and "Juniper" has whatever she wanted from it all. Not that I care. She can have it._

_Maybe I should just leave and go roaming around, beating people up. It's what people think I'm gonna do to them, so why shouldn't I? I already have. 'Cause they wouldn't leave me alone. I'll beat 'em up, alright... I'll beat 'em up 'til I'm as dead as a rock. Then they might actually leave me alone whenever they see me, and I can have what I want._

_... Dammit, what do I want? I don't frickin' KNOW!_

_I looked back at the half-circle house. I must've dozed off, it was already night. Nothing interesting happening with them, so I looked up at the sky... The stars. I liked the stars. They were pretty to look at. They all shined in the sky, all of them... There were a lot of them. I wonder... what do they mean? The stars..._

_The stars must mean something. Now I know what I want._

_I want to know what the stars say. There's somethin' about them that tells me something.I can feel it. There's something... Something!_

_I know what I'll do. I'll go talk to that "Juniper" chick about the stars tomorrow. See if she knows anything about them. Who am I foolin', though? They probably don't mean nothin', and I'm probably gonna be surrounded by assholes tomorrow that I'm gonna have to beat up. I'll beat 'em up. I'll beat 'em up good..._

_So I dozed off. Again._

The next morning...

"Caaanderaaaaack..."

"Caaaanderaaaaaaaack...!"

"Hey, Venom Bandit! Wakey-wakey!"

"Mac!"

"What?"

"Don't be so abrupt!"

"But you wanted to wake him up!"

_Oh, great. So it all wasn't a dream, I was still in that pond. I opened one eye enough to see Juniper and Mac arguing about waking me up. I grunted to their noise to shut them up._

"See, Mac? Now he's in a bad mood."

"I'm not the one who wanted him to wake up now!"

_For frick's sake... Shut up! I growled at them, loudly. They look over to me, a little scared. I open my eyes fully, turning my head to look at them._

"So... Canderack. How's the pond suiting you...?"

_... Fine. I like warm things, and I like flowers. There water's warm, and the flowers smell nice._

"Oh, good!"

"June, are you in his HEAD?"

"Yes, Mac. It's the only way we can get anything out of him."

_I think that little gray runt looked like he was trying not to laugh._

"You... You mean he can't talk?"

_The asshole was starting to snicker. I'm about to throw him across this damn clearing._

"Hush, now. Canderack just wasn't taught how to."

She looks to him.

"Would you like to learn...?"

_I looked around. The trees, the water, the grass, Juniper, Mac, everything. I half-thought this might not actually come back to bite me in the tail._

_Sure, whatever._

"Don't worry, you don't have to get out of the pool if you don't want to."

_Good to know we're starting to see eye-to-eye, lady._

"I guess so. Anyway, Mac, you should go off into town. You need to get off to training if you want to get any better."

"Aw, but June! Marowak said I have to go to the flying dungeon todaaaay!"

"You need to learn to figure out how to get past your weaknesses."

"Oh, fine. Whatever... You better have some good lunch ready when I come back!"

"Sure, sure." She giggles.

_Then that little runt took off. Training, huh...? Looks like somebody knows how to be tough. Start early, come out great later. Guess I'm gonna have to learn how to actually __say__ crap to Pokémon. At least she said I don't have to get out of the water. I like how it's nice and warm._

"Alright, I'll be back in a few. I need to prep a few things to help you learn."

_Whatever._

"This'll be fun, don't worry."

_I doubt it._

"Don't be such a spoil sport. Now, I'll be right back."

_Then she went back into that half-circley house on the hill. I saw through a little hole in the side that she was getting some big, flat white stuff. What the crap was she getting? Hope it's food. I'm hungry. I haven't eaten since... hell if I know._

_Ooh, I forgot! But I just remembered! That's good! When we're done with this shit, I'm gonna have to ask her about the stars, and if she knows anythin' about 'em. Hey, shove it. I know it's not some big-ass thing I'll be remembered forever for- not that I want to be- but it's something I want. When I want it, I'm going to GET it. It's like when I'm gonna beat someone up. When I want to beat them up, I beat them up. If I want food, I go and get some, and eat it. And when- Oh, look. Juniper's coming out of the house now._

_She's got a bunch of those flat white thingies, and a bunch of sticks put together to look like they'll hold something. Probably the white thingies. They looked as white as she was, now that I think about it. Is that a bunch of skin she took off, or something? That's frickin' nasty..._

_Then she sets them up on the board, and goes over and plucks a branch from some tree, and comes back. Hell was she gonna do with that? Whack me with it?_

_Oh, wait, nope. She's tapping the paper. It's got this weird... thingy, on it. Some kinda... I don't know._

"Do you know what this is, Canderack?"

_Nope._

"This is your name."

_The hell do you mean, it's "my name"? It's a piece of white-_

"No, no, silly! It's what your name looks like when it's written! I even put how to pronounce it underneath it."

_I can't read, Onion lady._

"Gardevoir!"

_Whatever._

"Look, I'll help you pronounce it. Can you try to say it with me, when you think you've got it?"

_No promises._

"Alright. Now, repeat after me. Ck. An. Der. Ack."

_I opened my mouth. I don't even know what the hell sound I made, but it wasn't like that at all. It sounded stupid. It pissed me off. I hate stupid things. They annoy me._

"Good try, good try!"

_No. I did frickin' terrible._

"Nobody gets it on the first shot, Canderack."

_I growled._

"Just stay calm, alright? We'll work on this for today. When you can say your name, we'll stop, and start again tomorrow."

_Whatever..._

_So, that's how it went down. At least, 'til little ol' Mac came back. Then we had lunch. That Juniper girl brought out some food to eat. She gave me a pretty big red fruit. It looked good. I ate it. It tasted good. She and the kid also had these little slurp-y things in tall little round thingers. They sounded tasty the way they were eating them._

_What're you eating?_

"Not eating, silly. Drinking."

"What's he want? One of Spinda's drinks?"

"... Do you want one, Canderack? I got one for you, in case you wanted one."

"I thought that one was for me!"

_Asshole._

"Canderack!"

_What?_

"That was VERY rude!"

_I rolled my eyes._

"Look, just try the drink. If you don't like it, Mac'll have it. Use this straw, I don't think you could... hold it."

_I wiggled my little... nubby... claws. I couldn't frickin' hold that damn thing. At least she has some frickin' sense._

_Hold it up to me, would you?_

She did so.

_And then I popped that "straw" thing in my mouth, and slurped on it. You know, there's VERY few things I can say that I love. And you know what?_

_I loved this. It tasted so good. I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. It tastes... It tastes great! Like lots of those sweet berries I had when I was a kid, just all at once, and..._

Juniper giggles.

"Here, have the rest of it. I see you like it, a lot!"

_I nodded. That's all I felt like frickin' doing._

"Geez... You don't think he'll want a ton of them, right?"

_I didn't care what the hell he thought I was entitled to or not.I was just having a bitchin' time, eating this thing they called a 'drink'._

"Mac, it's alright. I won't give him that many. Now, that's just your lunch break. Hurry off back to training before Marowak sends someone to get you."

"Okay, okay! Geez, June."

_And then he was gone. Just like that drink Juniper was holding. There wasn't any more. The straw made a different sound. And I wasn't getting any more. I growled._

"You like this a lot, don't you?"

_Damn right I do. I want more._

"Not now."

_I will BEAT YOU THE HELL UP if you don't give me more!_

"Canderack!"

_I will, dammit!_

"Settle down. I have an idea."

_Sell me._

"I'll get you one of these drinks whenever you do good in learning how to speak."

_What a load of crap._

"Spinda makes them. And you can't get to where Spinda is to make you the drinks, you're too big."

_... What a bigger load of crap. 'Cept I can't really GET to what I want if you say I can't... Fine. Just don't pull some stupid crap on me, or I'll beat you up good._

"You really need to stop threatening to hurt people. That won't get you anywhere in the long run."

_Stop tellin' me what to do._

"... Okay, just... Do you mind sitting back in the pond? I'm going to show you how to say a few more things, and we'll practice your name a bit more. Does that sound good?"

_... I guess._

_And so that's how things went down. We spent a few more hours on that whole "learning to talk" crap. At least I can finally say my own damn name. Makes me feel a bit fuzzy inside. I... think I like knowing how to talk. It makes me feel smart. I don't really know how to say a lot of stuff now, though... That sucks. This'll probably take forever._

_Mac came back, tired as crap. Juniper left me some berries and some more of those big red fruits to eat for dinner, while the two of them went back inside into that little house of theirs. I ate it all, 'cause I was hungry. I eat when I'm hungry._

_... Dammit. I forgot to ask her about the stars. They gotta mean somethin'... All I can do is look up at 'em. They twinkle every once in a while. Maybe those stars in particular are trying to tell you something, but they just can't really... tell you, you know? It's really annoying. It's like saying "Hey, hey! Listen to me! I got somethin' really special to tell ya, and only you!". 'Cept they tell you by flashing. Once. Maybe twice._

_Whatever the crap. I'll just... ask her in the morning. I just wanna sleep. I crawled out of the pond, 'cause I'm not gonna shrivel up overnight. I curled up, and... I dozed off. I really gotta ask her tomorrow... Yeah, that's what I'll do._


	4. ICanderackI A little bit of this

Antivenom

Chapter IV

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that."

_Flowers..._

_Flowers..._

_Flowers..._

_Flowers._

_I liked flowers._

_They looked pretty._

_They smelled nice, too._

_They didn't make you do things you didn't want you to._

_They let you have their pretty-ness for free, and they always felt like giving it away._

_I like sleeping._

_I get to sit in a big place full of flowers._

_They aaaaaallllllllll smelled nice._

_And they aaaaaaalllllllllll looked pretty, too. All sorts of colors._

_Tall ones._

_Short ones._

_Wide ones._

_Little ones._

_All sorts of shapes._

_I'm sitting in a big field of flowers right now... The wind's blowing. They all bend the way it blows. They just let things happen... I like the way they are. They just don't really care, they just let you have all of their niceness for free, without anything in return._

_I wish I could be a flower._

_Maybe I wouldn't have to deal with all this crap._

_I lied on my side, being careful not to squish any flowers. They didn't do crap to me, so I let them stay the same. I took in the smells, the sights... I didn't just like it. I loved it. I don't care who you are, or what you think. Flowers make me happy._

_I like being happy. It makes me feel good._

_I wish I had a place full of flowers I could go to all the time... That way, I could be with flowers as much as I liked, if I was awake or sleeping._

_I wonder if they're like me... If they have lots of things to say, but they can't say it._

_No... They aren't like me. They're not fat and ugly, and they don't beat people up. They're nice. Really nice. They're even nice to me, even though I'm a big asshole to everyone else... Except for the flowers. Flowers are nice to me._

_I wiggled a little, getting cozy. The grass felt really soft and cozy. I felt like I could fall asleep... again. I wonder if I could, and I'd dream about being in another place full of flowers. I'd be stuck forever in a flower-filled... bigness._

_I liked that idea._

_I smiled a little. I liked thinking about happy things. They made me feel cozy and warm and... and... and... Happy._

_I stretched out my arms and legs. I wanted to feel the flowers._

_They felt... they... I don't know. They felt like flowers._

_Then something was bad._

_I smelled smoke._

_I peeked open my eyes, to see that the whole place was starting to get on fire._

_I got pissed. VERY pissed. Nobody was going to do shit to my flowers and get away with it. I got to my feet on the double, and looked around for who might've done it. I was gonna beat them so hard, I'd knock them out. Then I'd keep beating them up 'til they were dead. Then I'd beat them until they were nothing but dust. Yeah... I liked that idea. Whoever does shit to my flowers gets to be food for the dirt._

_Then I see this... fat, gray guy with a stupid-looking yellow face on his big fat gut, and his head looked all stupid and had this little gold thingy on it, and he was staring at me with this beady red eye in this dumb looking... eye... thing. He must've done it._

_I was gonna pulverize him._

_I yelled and screamed and roared and I curled up and rolled at him fast and I was going to beat him so badly he was gonna be dead I WANTED HIM DEAD NOW! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!_

_Then all he did was hold up his stupid big gray hands and I stopped._

_Nobody could do that. Nobody could stop me._

_I was super frackin' strong. Nobody. NOBODY!_

_All he did was laugh. And he unrolled me._

_All of a sudden, everything just seemed to burn up. The grass, the trees, the sky... And... most importantly,_

_The flowers._

_I couldn't move, I was just in the air... or whatever. I was just floating. I couldn't move. I hated not being able to move. It made me mad._

_He laughed at me more while I couldn't move._

"So much anger... Such a dull-minded creature. Yes. You ARE the one we brought forth into this world."

_What the hell was he talking about? I didn't care. I tried to move. I could move... but I couldn't move the way I wanted to. All I could do was wiggle around, and growl and snarl._

_Then he did something, and I felt like I was burning._

_I screamed and shouted and roared. It hurt. I hated this feeling. It really, really hurt._

"Silence, beast! You shall serve as a wheel to my chariot of conquest of the world, and it's inhabitants. That is ALL your piteous existance was meant to be!"

_No way in hell I was being this fatty's little minion. I ignored the pain. I snapped as much as I could._

"Seems you need to be broken first. I should've forseen this, summoning a wild, mindless beast. Very well... I shall give you a taste of eternal suffering!"

_And then I don't know. I just... I just hurt. It felt like everything that could hurt was hurting me everywhere all at once. I was cut, I was stabbed, I was sick, I was drowning, I was hit really hard, I..._

_I thought I was gonna die._

_I screamed and shouted more. I didn't want to feel this any more... It hurt too much..._

"Now, be silent! I shall collect you soon, beast, and then I'll make use of your talents of absolute destruction for the gains of my following and I. For now, though, you suffer. You shall suffer, and learn to obey me to the best of your small brain's ability to function. Lest you suffer OTHERWISE!"

_I hurt, I hurt, I hurt, I hurt, I HURT!_

_I wanted my flowers!_

_I wanted to beat people up!_

_I wanted this hurting to stop!_

_I hurt!_

_Then I heard someone calling for me, while I hurt all over._

_Someone was calling my name..._

_My name..._

_I heard my name._

_All of a sudden, I was shot into some high speed... whatever, as that fat asshole laughed at me._

_Then I came to._

"Canderack... Canderack! Wake up!"

_I thought I was going to cry. I felt sore all over. I still hurt a bit._

_I opened my eyes to see Juniper standing over me. She and Mac were standing there, just... they looked worried. I was just asleep... I had a bad dream. That was it._

"Canderack, are you alright...? You looked like you were having a heck of a nightmare! You were rolling around all over the place!" (Juniper)

_... Whatever. The bad dream was over. I stopped hurting. I rolled onto my side and got to my feet._

_"I'm fine, Onion. Are we gonna have to do that whole 'learn to talk' thing, today?"_

"Yes, Canderack. We're going to have to. It's not going to happen overnight, you know."

_"Whatever..."_

_So I sat in that little pond again, and I had to learn more words and crap. It was boring, but at least I got one of those tasty drink-things again. They tasted good._

"By the way, Canderack?" (Juniper)

_"What."_

"Do you know about the dungeons in the world?"

_"The hell are those?"_

"They're weird places full of danger... and treasure. It's how most of us manage to get food, money, and things to make life easy to live."

_"So?"_

"I've just about run out of berries to make into drinks. We're going to have to dive into one of these dungeons to get some more."

_"Why do I have to go?"_

_As I thought that- 'cause that's how she talked to me, mostly-, she winced._

"You can... beat people up, if you go."

_That didn't sound half-bad. I haven't beaten any morons up for the past day, I feel like._

_"... You had me at 'beat'."_

"Okay, I'll get my map and my kit. We'll go somewhere pretty simple. Oran forest will probably do."

_A whole forest named after those berries...? What, is that what they eat all the time? Doesn't matter to me. I waited as she went into her dome-y place on top of the hill._

_I thought about my bad dream. My flowers burning, the pain..._

_The fatty._

_I wanted to beat him up, I wanted to beat him up good. I wasn't gonna be his little... little... follower! Or whatever! I was gonna beat him into dust! He couldn't control me! I'd prove it!_

_I decided to walk around a bit, waiting. Then Juniper came back out with a rolled-up piece of... paper, I think she called it, and a bag she wore around her hip. She held up another one, and it was much bigger. What'd she want with that?_

"Do you mind if I put this one you? You seem a lot stronger than me, you could probably carry a lot more food than me."

_"... Whatever. At least you decided to ask me rather than tell me."_

_So she fit the big bag around me, and it rested on my gut. The two of us went off to that 'Oran Forest' place. That Mac kid didn't come with us, he was off training at that... dojo, I think he called it. If he wanted to know how to fight, he should've asked me. I could show him how you fight... Then again, he isn't me. So he couldn't learn anything from me._

"Canderack?"

_"What?"_

"Are you sure you were alright? You sounded like it was a really bad dream. What happened?"

_"Why do you want to know?"_

"You saved my life, okay? Can you allow me to at least appreciate what you did, and let me worry about YOU, too?"

_... She... had a bit of a point._

_Not that I would let her have it._

_"You can worry about me. I'm not telling you crap about my dreams, though. They belong to me."_

"Okay... I'm just a bit worried, alright?"

_"Whatever."_

_At least she was right about the beatings-up part. It really WAS a beatdown, too. All the jackwads who wanted to fight us got stomped by me. Juniper handled a couple, too, but that's only because I couldn't get to all of them at once. They were all those grassy types, so I could kick their asses so much easier. I felt a lot better after just beating down a few of them, too._

_We got a lot of berries and red fruits, too. She said I could keep some for myself for being 'Such a big help'. Whatever. I didn't care. I wound up filling my bag to the top, though. I had a lot of food. She also filled hers up with things, too. Mostly those little yellow coins, though._

_We were about to leave, when... I saw it._

_It was a flower. A very pretty flower._

_It was red, and it smelled really, really sweet. The thing holding the flower was yellow. I picked it up in my mouth, and took it with me when we left._

"Canderack?"

_"What do you want now?"_

"What's with the flower?"

_"I like flowers. Shut up."_

"Oh! I never would've guessed you liked flowers!"

_"Whatever."_

"Maybe I'll go buy some for you next time I'm out shopping?"

_... I... I actually liked that. She wanted to get me flowers, with nothing in return?_

_"... Why do you want to do that?"_

"Because, I like to think we're friends. Friends do nice things for eachother."

_Friends...? No. We... We weren't friends. I couldn't be friends with anyone. I beat people up, not be friends with them._

_I still liked having flowers, though. I'd let it slide._

_"... Whatever."_

"Okay. I'll get a bunch of them for you, when I can."

_We did some more walking, and then we got back to her place. Mac was sitting in the pond, relaxing. He was about to get out of that pond, because I'M going to be in it. And I'm going to be enjoying my flower._

"Maaac! We're hoooome~!"

"June! You're back!" (Mac)

"Yup. We got a good bit of food, too. Canderack really helped, too."

_Whatever..._

"Cool, but... June, something's kinda... happened."

"Huh?"

"Marowak's been worried lately. He says he feels something bad stirring."

"Oh, Mac. He's had bad feelings all the time. This isn't new."

"June, it's different this time! He says there's a darkness that's been haunting some of the others' dreams lately!"

"... Darkness in people's dreams?"

_Sounds fishy. Fatty must've been to a few chumps before he got to me._

"Yeah. People had nightmares with lots of Ghost-types harassing them. They're usually really far away, or else they're on exploration teams. June... I'm scared."

"Shush, Mac. Come inside, would you? I'm going to get to making dinner. Canderack, it's your turn in the pond."

"Awwww!"

"Hush, and come inside!"

"Okay..."

_And then they went into their domey place. I got into the pond, and carefully put down my little flower by the others that were growing by the lake. I wish I could put it in the dirt so it stood up. I couldn't, though. My arms were really short._

_What did that fatty want me to do for him, anyway? 'Wheel to a chariot'? The hell did that mean? Whatever... It wouldn't be bugging me much. Juniper'll have dinner out, soon. At least she makes good food when she says she's going to make some. I liked her dinners... and breakfasts, and lunches. They were tasty._

_After I had dinner, I got out of the pond, and went back to sleep. I dreamt about the big place full of flowers again, and... Fatty didn't come back. That was good. I could enjoy my flowers on my own. Just me. Me, and my flowers._

_Everything was good in my life, again. Besides, that girl would get me flowers, too. It's like a wish come true. Living was... I don't know. I felt happy. Flowers made me happy. I didn't want to think anymore. I just... layed there. I enjoyed my happy time with my flowers._

_Tomorrow would be a good day, I felt._


	5. ICanderackI On the lam again

Antivenom

Chapter V

"On the lam again"

_Juniper prepped breakfast again this morning, when we were all up. Then again, nobody else really did, and food tasted better when she served it up. I liked her cooking. It was tasty._

_As usual, Mac went off to Marowak's to get more fighting experience. What's he trying to do, doing that every day? You can only get tougher if you fight someone who's really trying to kick your sorry ass into next week. I could do that to that whole damn "Treasure Town", too. 'Cept I don't care about them, but they sure as hell care about me. Or they really don't, since they slowed down on coming to my little patch of sun out in those woods._

_Juniper taught me some more on how to talk. I don't see why she wanted me to know how to talk to people, it'd be a skill I wouldn't use much. I don't talk to people. People hate me. I hate people. People are usually annoying._

_After that was done, I finally Arceus-damned remembered something I forgot._

_I asked Juniper about the stars, and what they meant._

"The stars...? Why do you want to know about the stars?"

_"I don't give a crap why. I want to know."_

"I don't really know much, myself. They're just a bunch of twinkles out in the night sky... But."

_"What?"_

"When there's a shooting star, you should make a wish. Supposedly, they're meant to come true on the night of a shooting star."

_Wishes... What if fatty made a wish on a falling star for me to come here to be his little servant boy? Bastard... I'm gonna beat him up good for burning my flowers. And for making my dreams hell. I'm gonna beat him up..._

_"Oh. Whatever. That's lame. I thought it'd be more interesting than that."_

"I don't know much about the stars, Canderack. There's not much for me to tell you..."

_There's got to be more to it. Shooting stars being a source of wishes, and that's it? There's gotta be more than that. They can't just be a bunch of light bulbs in the sky. There must be. Maybe there's a Pokémon that knows about the stars in this "Treasure Town"?_

_No. I can't go there. They hate me. I'd have to beat up a lot of them just to get away. I can't go..._

_But I know someone who could._

_They're right in front of me._

_"... Do you think anyone in town knows about the stars?"_

"Doubtful. That is... people in town. Treasure Town's elder, Torkoal, likes to relax in the hot springs a lot. Maybe he might know about the stars?"

_So I have to go see some old geezer who probably couldn't fight me? Good... That saves me the time of having to beat someone up._

_"Where are the hot springs? I have to go there."_

"Canderack, we can't just... GO there! You can't even ask Torkoal about the stars, you can't even talk!"

_I growled at her, loudly._

"I'm not trying to be mean, Canderack. I can't take you there and ask myself, either. Some residents from town go there to relax, too. If they see me with you, they'll say I'm in league with you, and I'll be considered an outlaw, too! Then we can't stay here!"

_..._

_Fuck._

_That pissed me off. I couldn't get something I wanted? That's crap. Total crap. I could probably ask the old fart myself if I learn how to talk some more... Dammit, I don't wanna wait! I hate waiting! Waiting takes forever!_

_I plopped down on the grass, then rolled onto my side. I didn't even want to sit. I just wanted to lie there. Lie there... and think._

_"You go do whatever you want. I want some time to myself."_

"Alright. I'll see if I can't get those flowers for you."

_That'd be nice..._

_She followed the road Mac takes to Treasure Town. It's about time they left me to my own devices... I wanted some "me" time._

_You know, without any of those assholes annoying me all day every day, I've had a lot of time to think. I like to think sometimes. It makes me wonder what the world is like. It also makes me wonder..._

_Who am I? Who am I, really?_

_What am I supposed to do with my life?_

_What's my purpose?_

_Why am I alive?_

_Why do I fight?_

_Why do I fight... what do I fight for?_

_My mom and dad... They were dicks. Ever since I was a little Venipede, they made me fight other Pokémon in Pinwheel forest, where I was born. When I lost, they beat me up even more to make sure I don't lose again. I hated getting beaten up by them... I felt weak._

_I kept losing._

_They kept beating me._

_At least they did one thing... They made me tough. I could take a lot of hits from all the bruises._

_I was practically invincible when I evolved into a Whirlipede. I was already naturally tough, and our early teens are lived as a rolling tank. I won almost every fight I got into, and my enemies had to be really strong to handle me. Unless they were fire-types, or humans trained them. They usually won more often than not... My parents always rescued me and beat me a bit more afterwards. I hated them. They wouldn't stop hurting me._

_They told me I needed to be super-strong. They told me I needed to be able to fight on equal grounds with Pokémon that were only RUMORED to exist. To hell with them. Legendary Pokémon don't exist, they're just stories. They're just things that are made up to try and make the world make more sense. I'm not dumb. I'm not falling for it._

_When I finally grew up and evolved into Scolipede, they told me they were proud that I managed to live that long under their parenting, and they bred "success". That's stupid. They didn't breed success. They bred a monster. I'm a monster. A fat, ugly monster who beats people up because he hates them. I hate people... I hate them. I've only been able to hate them. I was only allowed to hate them and fight them. So I did._

_Maybe that's why I fight... I was raised to. I couldn't do anything else. I hate people. I hate myself. I hate the world. I hate... I hate!_

_But... I don't hate flowers._

_Mom and dad never let me stay around flowers too much, they said they'd make me weak. I say to hell with them. I liked flowers because they smelled nice and were pretty to look at. They made the world seem better._

_The perfect world... It'd have lots of flowers everywhere, and everyone could be happy. Nobody would need to annoy anyone, nobody would have to beat anyone up... They'd just have flowers. Flowers to smell and look at and keep alive._

_I breathed. I closed my eyes, and kept the idea in my head. A whole world full of flowers..._

_I think I fell asleep, I was so cozy._

_I woke up to a really nice smell. I opened my eyes, and there were a bunch of different flowers._

_Maybe that Juniper girl wasn't that bad, after all... She got me flowers._

_I wonder where she is?_

_... No._

_I don't care about her. I never cared about people. She just did it because she wants to butter me up and use me. I'm not dumb. I'm not falling for it. No way._

_There also was lunch next to the flowers. And a drink. I ate and drank, 'cause I was hungry._

_Then, all of a sudden-_

"JUUUUUNE!", Mac shouted in the distance.

_Son of a..._

_The kid soon came running into the area. He looked freaked out._

_Juniper came out of the house, in a rush._

"Mac, what's the big idea?", She spouted.

"June, June! News has gotten around!"

"About what?"

"Canderack not being where he always was! People are starting to freak out!"

"That's a bit worrisome..."

"That's not the biggest part. They're doing a sweep around Treasure Town to see if he's planning some kind of raid!"

"WHAT? A raid? Did Magnezone go off the deep end this time?"

"I don't care about Magnezone! Our house is in the search circle!"

"We still have ti-"

"BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT! STOP RIGHT THERE! BZZZZZZZT!"

_Ah, crap._

_I got up, and looked in the direction the annoying buzzing and talking came from._

Officer Magnezone, accompanied by Officers Magnemite and an exploration team or two, come into view.

"BZZZZZZZT! FLEE NOW, CITIZENS! THE LAW SHALL HANDLE THIS OUTLAW! BZZZZZZZT!", Magnezone said.

"Y-You don't understand...! All he wants is to be left alone!", Juniper said, trying to defend Canderack.

"BZZZZT! THE VENOM BANDIT IS A KNOWN CRIMINAL. HE HAS STOLEN MANY ITEMS OF VALUE FROM EXPLORERS AND INNOCENTS. NOW HE IS HOLDING YOU AND YOUR LITTLE BROTHER HOSTAGE? FOR SHAME. BZZZZZZZT!"

"We're not hostages! He can't even speak!"

_... Nice. You tell them I can't even talk to them. Way to go._

"BZZZZZZT! YOU ARE DEFENDING AN OUTLAW, CITIZEN? THIS IS AN ACT AGAINST THE LAW. YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE NOW OUTLAWS FOR NOT BRINGING THIS CRIMINAL TO JUSTICE, OR INFORMING US OF HIS WHEREABOUTS. ALL THREE OF YOU ARE NOW UNDER ARREST. COME QUIETLY! BZZZZZZZZZT!"

_I growled. They weren't making me do nothin'._

_Like a pansy, Mac bolted off for the woods. Some of the assholes who were trying to "arrest" us shoot some electricity at him, but they miss. Geez... Who taught these morons how to aim?_

"BZZZZZT! COME QUIETLY! BZZZZZT!", Officer Magnemite chimed.

"I... I...", Juniper choked.

_... Dammit!_

_I took hold of Juniper by the back of her shirt, and stormed off the opposite way of where Mac went. I got hit by a few bolts, and actually a razor leaf or two and a water gun... But it wasn't too much. I could've taken more. All I did was run. I heard them shouting at me as I went along. Juniper screamed a bit as it happened all of a sudden._

"BZZZZT! YOU CANNOT OUTRUN JUSTICE FOREVER! BZZZZZT!"

"GET 'EM! LET'S MAKE HIM PAY FOR WHAT HE'S DONE!"

"YOU STOLE MY PRECIOUS PECHA SCARF!"

"YOU TOOK MY SON'S MONEY!"

"REVENGE!"

_They kept screaming and shouting. I just kept running. A few more attacks hit me on the ass, but I kept going. Their voices grew quieter from distance, but I kept running. I just kept running. I couldn't take all of them... I don't think. All I did was run. I sorta hated running. It made me tired._

_I don't know how long I ran, but I must've damn worn myself out good. Either I blacked out from being tired or I hit my head on something, 'cause I woke up to Juniper nudging me and saying my name repeatedly. It probably helped that she splashed water on my face._

_I sputtered._

_"Fuck off! I'll beat you up!"_

_I was panting._

"Canderack, calm down! It's just me!"

_Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit! Why did I take her with me! I don't care! I don't give a flying crap about her! I! Dont! CAAAARE!_

_"Stop talking to me! This is all your fault!"_

Juniper wavered a little.

"Wh... what?"

_"Arceus-dammit! Why did I have to save you! I should've just let you DIE in snakey's belly! I'm in even deeper shit now that I went with you! WHY ARE YOU MAKING EVERYTHING SO BAD?"_

Juniper's eyes start to water.

"Canderack... I... I... I-I..."

_"GO AWAY! Leave me alone! You're doing NOTHING to help me right now, and all you got for helping me was getting labeled as some asshole who HELPED an asshole! Go whine to those frickin' metal guys about it, or something! I'm not going! I followed you, and this is what you got me!"_

A few sniffles, and then Juniper takes off, crying.

_Finally..._

_I turned on my side. I was by a lake. A big lake. I lied where I was, I didn't feel like getting up. I was too tired from saving that stupid Onion's ass. I knew it was a bad idea to trust her. Mac frickin' got those authority guys to come and get me, and she probably told him to do that. This is why I hate people! They're damn liars! I __HATE__ liars! I want to beat them up so badly, they're nothing but dust!_

_I snarled, roared, and screamed. I was so frickin' pissed, I probably could've just blown up from how pissed I was! I rolled around, tearing up whatever I could reach. I wanted to beat up the WORLD! Everything! AAAAAARGH!_

_After a few minutes, I got tired and passed out a second time. I woke up again, still by the lake. I got back to my feet after getting some of my energy back, and drank the water. It was actually kinda nice, it was clean. Very clean. I took a long, satisfying drink._

_I took in some air after that, 'cause I had to hold my breath. Wonderful. I'd say "back to step one", but this time I don't have any good spots to sit in for the sun. Guess I have to actually wander around for crap this time..._

_Dammit. I was just getting cozy, too._

_.._

_..._

_..._

_Dammit._


	6. ICanderackI Crashin' and chillin'

Antivenom

Chapter VI

"Crashin' and chillin'."

_Damn._

_I was back to being bugged by those goodie two-shoes guys again._

_I lost a place to stay._

_I threw out the trust I never had with that Juniper girl, and that Mac kid..._

_I even lost my flowers. Those pretty, nice-smelling flowers..._

_I had to deal with my little list._

_I needed to find a place to call home. Someplace quiet... where none of those chumps would look for me, or they'd get real tired and go home before they find me._

_That Juniper took me into one of those "Dungeon" places. There were plenty of jackwads there who wanted to fight and make it tough. There was food in there too, so I wouldn't rot away 'cause I had nothing to eat._

_Yeah... That sounded good. I should hole up in a dungeon for a while. Nobody'll remember me after a few days and no signs. Not that I'm afraid of beating up a few of those pricks to make sure they'll stay away._

_... Hell if I care. I just need to find a place. Anywhere that's got lots of those other guys trying to fight me that'll also try to fight any of the guys chasing me. This'll work out... I thought this through pretty good._

_Something nearby the lake smelled sweet, but I couldn't put my tongue on it. It wasn't a flower. Was it? I don't know... I couldn't see any flowers near the lake. I followed the smell until I found a tree with scratch marks and something goopy and yellow. I sniffed it, and yep, this is where it was coming from._

_My gut growled. I was kinda hungry._

_I licked the stuff, 'cause it smelled sweet._

_It tasted sweet. I licked it some more._

_I wondered where it came from. It's nice, like flowers. I liked this stuff. I'll have to find out._

_I was having a good time 'til I heard some buzzing. I looked around, but nothing. I licked the goop some more._

_Then someone yelled at me._

"INTRUDER!"

_... Dammit, what NOW?_

_I looked where the voice came from. Where it came from was some... What the hell, I don't even know. It was yellow and black and had... um... wings, yeah, it had wings, and it had arms. No feet, though. That's weird. No feet. No legs, either. Thing glared at me with it's red eyes. I glared back, 'cause nobody tries to scare me. I scare people._

"ANOTHER INTRUDER IN MY LAND, SO SOON! AND DEFILING IT BY EATING MY INVALUABLE HONEY? YOU MUST BE PUNISHED!"

_... Honey. So that's what it's called. If it comes from THIS bitch, though, I don't think I want any more. It yells too much. I hated yelling sometimes. It was loud._

_Then some three-faced yellow-and-orangey things with wings started flying in and made some kinda wall. Me and this big buzzy yellow thing were in a cage._

"THE LAST INTRUDER ESCAPED MY CLUTCHES WITH A BIT OF LUCK. YOU, MONSTER, SHALL NOT BE SO FORTUNATE!"

_Shut up already. You're giving me a headache._

_Then big, loud and yellow shot... Poison Stings, I think, at me. They pinched a bit, but that did jack crap. Poison was my home zone. I shrugged it off like nothing._

_I curled into a ball, and charged. Nobody was gonna take me down! Nobody!_

_Except big, loud and yellow decided to move out of the way. I'll give it credit; it was smarter than I thought._

_Then I hit the wall, and busted through. The three-face thingies screamed and shouted in pain as I steamrolled them either under me, or all over the place. I hopped and landed, uncurling, and turning around. I grunted, bucking my head a little._

"IMPUDENCE! HOW DARE YOU HARM MY CHILDREN!"

_Dammit, shut up!_

_Then it flew out at me, quicker than I thought, and started swinging it's claws really fast. It scratched me a lot, but it still didn't work much. Must be Fury Cutter._

_After big and yellow finished up, I decided that I was bored. I got on my back legs for a second, then stabbed it with all I felt like giving with my strongest attack: Megahorn._

_It knocked loud and yellow right out of the air, spinning and crashing into all of the little three-faces._

"STO... stop... stop him...! Don't let him... *pant* get away!", "Big and Yellow" weakly said.

_Then all the little three-faces decided to attack. I'll save you the story and say I beat them all up, mostly with Steamroller and X-Scissor._

_I panted a bit afterwards, beating them all up was a bit tiring. They were all groaning in pain, lying around randomly. Big and Yellow tried to get up, but couldn't. I think I Megahorned it too hard._

_Anyway, I took another long drink to cool off. I was even more hungry than I already was, after fighting. I decided not to have any more honey, and I also didn't want to stick around for these chumps to get up again._

_I started to walk. I needed to find a "Dungeon" to hide out in. I was getting hungry, and I needed to eat. I probably should've tried one of those little three-faces earlier, see if they tasted any good. Nah, that'd piss off even more things into chasing me. I didn't need any more chasers._

_I don't remember how long I walked... All I can remember is that I exitted the woods and grasslands, and I wound up in a cold, snowy place. I know, because it's cold. And snowy._

_No signs of anyone chasing me, or any random chumps wanting to fight. I had to find a dungeon. Maybe if I found some woods, there'd be a dungeon there? That "Oran Forest" place was a dungeon, Juniper said..._

_... Screw Juniper. I hate her. She's a lying little piece of crap, and so is Mac. I'm gonna beat her up when I see her again. I'm gonna have to keep that in mind._

_Anyway, there was probably a dungeon somewhere... And this'd be even better. They wouldn't expect me to be out somewhere cold, 'cause they know I like to sit out in the sun. The sun is nice and warm. The snow, obviously, is cold._

_No woods, but there was a cave. My gut growled some more... Dammit, I needed to eat!_

_Either way, I started to check out the cave. I could see inside, which was weird. Caves back home weren't lit up, usually._

_I also noticed that the place was weirdly shaped, there were these big open spots and there were halls of ice-_

_It was just like that Oran Forest! I found a dungeon!_

_Ha. I knew I could get what I wanted. Right, place to crash: Check. I needed to see if this place had food though. Considering it's a cave with lots of ice? That probably wouldn't-_

_I found a pink berry lying around. Pecha, I think. Just my day._

_I snapped it up right there._

_One berry ain't gonna hold me over, though. I had to find more._

_I started to explore the place, and I went deeper down. I found some coins and some little rocks lying around, maybe a stick or a piece of pointy metal. No food, though. I kept going, 'cause I needed to eat. I'd probably eat one of my legs at some point..._

_Then I ran into those chumps who wanted to fight you. Greaaaat..._

_I beat them up as they came along. I kept moving between rooms and floors. I'd find a berry or two to keep me from starving and going nuts._

_I must've gone at least six levels down. I needed to eat...!_

_I broke into a charge. I wanted to find food, and I wanted to eat NOW!_

_I kept pushing through the cave, room after room, chump after chump._

_I got dizzy and stuff got blurry as I got hungry. I couldn't think straight._

_Everything after that is kinda fuzzy. I remember though, I found a big red juicy fruit that we stored back at that house. I was happy to have it, it filled me right up._

_How many floors did I go...?_

_Thirteen?_

_I kept going. I found a little pink scarf lying around, and I decided to wrap it around my neck. It'd probably help me keep a little bit warmer._

_I think I hit the bottom, because there was a big empty room with no other pathways. It was pretty deep down, there was a little bit of water running around the center icy place. It was big enough to fit ten of me, so I had plenty of room to walk around. I could stay healthy since there was water, too._

_Lying near the entrance to the big room was a big bag similar to the one Juniper-_

_Stop thinking about her! She's a lying bitch who got you into more trouble!_

_-had me hold during that trip. It was already looped, so I just had to slip my neck through it and get it secured to my gut. Why was this here...? Who left it behind?_

_I found it fishy. This place seemed almost like it was set up for me. To be JUST right... A place I could hide out._

_Whatever. I don't care._

_I sat down in the middle of the place. The ice wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. I sat there, and thought. I wanted to think for a bit, I did a lot today._

_How did I get here, anyway? How did I get taken away from home? Fatty probably knew, 'cause he said he wanted to use me. He probably somehow knew a way to bring me here. I didn't want to find him, though. He wasn't worth my time. If I found him, I'd beat him up._

_Why couldn't all those Pokémon at Treasure Town leave me alone? I wasn't exactly trying to ANNOY them or something... I bet they're all just fatheads who wanted to live all comfy-like in their little place._

_Comfy..._

_I bet I could probably ambush some of those chumps with stuff they have to make living there cozy, and bring it here to make my new home feel more... homey. Yeah. I should do that._

_Then they'd be pissed at me._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_The hell did I care? They probably wouldn't forget me soon, anyway. I'll just mug them. If they don't want to leave me alone, I'll play their game. I won't leave THEM alone. Ha!_

_You know, I'm feeling REALLY good about my life, right now. Everything's all set up for me: Food, place to stay, stuff to get for my place, water... And RESPECT. Those chumps know who I am. They know I'm dangerous. Loners won't even try messing with me. I'll kick their sorry asses so hard, they'd probably lose it!_

_I laughed. It echoed through the cave._

_Who am I kidding, though? I was tired. Today was a good day, though. I'd get to robbing those chumps tomorrow. By the end of the month, I'd have this place looking nice and homey._

_I went to sleep on the ice, soon enough. You get sleepy enough to do that._

_I dreamed._

_I dreamt of a big icy cavern, full of icy flowers. They all smelled so great... They were pretty and see-through, too. They were very easy to break though, because I nudged one and it snapped out of place and broke._

_Makes me think of how I get along with people. It's like these flowers. They're so easy to break, 'cause they're all just lying scumbags._

_Flowers didn't lie, and they weren't scumbags. They were flowers. They weren't wrong. They were never wrong. They were good. They treated me nice. I wish they weren't so breakable, or soft, though. Then I could take them with me all over the place._

_I had a nice, quiet time with my ice flowers. They sparkled and smelled nice and looked pretty. They... They... I don't know._

_I just loved them._

_I woke up later, nice and rested._

_Well, no._

_MEAN and rested._

_I was gonna mug those tools for stuff to put in my new home. I went up through the dungeon again... except it was all different. I didn't care, though. I took things like food with me in the big bag I had around my gut._

_I left the cave soon enough, and I set out towards the greens._

_It's time those assholes started paying up for all their bothering._


	7. ICanderackI Loot 'n scoot

Antivenom

Chapter VII

"Loot 'n Scoot."

_I took a little bit of time to remember the way back home. Didn't wanna load up a bunch of junk and not remember where to take it all. That'd suck, and be completely stupid._

_Anyway, I kept going. I was ready to get started on making good on what these yahoos called me: "Venom Bandit". Most of their crap means squat to me, but I'm takin' it anyway. Why? 'Cause I got nothin' better to do._

_I don't need to know how to talk to make these chumps fork over the goods. Everything about me is a weapon: even my voice. People get scared of weapons. They'll be scared of what I sound like._

_I got to the forests and grasslands soon enough. Chances are, they won't be dumb enough to randomly be running around carrying stuff, yelling "Rob me! Rob me! I'm a sap!". They'd probably keep it all at their little town, or..._

_What if they kept houses outside, but near the place? I could probably sack a few of them before heading on home. I'd take out whoever might've been nearby, so they wouldn't squeal 'til it was too late._

_Yeah... Perfect idea! Totally genius. I liked smart ideas. They worked._

_I kept going in... the general direction of the place, I think. Hopefully I was going the right way. Dammit, I better not get lost! If I got lost, this'd really suck._

_... I think I did. I came close to a clearing, and I could see smoke above the trees. Looked a bit far away. Must've been Treasure Town. On top of that, there were a couple of housey-places built around here. Mostly out of really flimsy stuff, though. They were short, too. I don't think I could fit inside. Why was everything around here so tiny? It's annoying._

_Eh, whatever. I'll just take off the roofs or somethin', and lookit what I can get. That'll do, yeah._

_I went over to one, and nudged a hole big enough to see through. Nobody was home, 'cause I couldn't hear anyong yelling and screaming. I peeked around._

_Just some soft stuff to lie on and go to sleep on. A little box to the side, too. I couldn't reach it, my neck didn't bend that way. Why couldn't these dopes keep anything tall enough for me to take?_

_Oh well, I took some of the stuff the roof was made of. It was soft, so I could probably make a bed or something. I tucked it into the bag hanging around my gut, and I moved over to the next house._

_Same deal, soft roofy stuff. I took a little from that one, too. Nothing really interesting, just a couple of sticks they had inside. There was a little fire on them, too. Maybe a fire-type lived here. It'd suck if that fire hit their roof, and the place burned down._

_I moved on to the third place. Once again, same deal. I kept a little more of that soft stuff. I think I might've had enough for a cozy bed._

_..._

_Nah. Not enough._

_I took some more from each of the houses. Why didn't they have anything neat? Then, that's when I heard. They were being REALLY loud at Treasure Town, 'cause I could hear it from here. What were they screaming about? They sounded happy._

_I decided to get closer. I started walking in the town's direction. This was probably a bad idea, going to the place where all my chasers got together, and all. Couldn't help it, though. If I had to go down, I would take them with me. As many of 'em as I could take._

_I could finally hear what they were yellin' and whoopin' about._

"It's Team Syndicate!"  
>"They're the best there is!"<p>

"They'll bag the Venom Bandit!"

"We're saved!"

"Whoopie!"

_And other crap, too. "Team Syndicate"? They sounded more like trouble than heroes. I kept listening._

_Mostly just cheering, maybe some guy trying to sell food or some other junk._

_Then they all quieted down._

_A voice spoke up. It was a guy's voice, kinda deep, but not really deep. Sorta like a big kid. I think._

"Hello, everyone!", came the voice.

"Hello, Lucario!", the crowd replied, cheering.

"Just about everyone knows why we're gathered here today! This very important day!"

_Cheering. Blech._

"Team Syndicate...", 'Lucario' continued.

"... Has taken on the task of hunting the Venom Bandit!"

_They really got going this time. I almost wanted to smile. They were holding this get-together 'cause of ME._

"Raichu and I will do everything in our power to help with taking this big baddie down, and protect the Pokémon of Treasure Town, and the world! Isn't that right, my little buddy?"

_The crowd cheered. I don't think I heard someone else talk. Maybe the other guy was quiet and didn't wanna say nothin'._

"You won't need to shower us with money and items! We know they've been stolen, and you will get it all back! We guarantee you now!"

_I don't really need to tell you what that statement got in return._

"Anyhow, we won't take up any more of your time. Officer Magnezone, if you would.", 'Lucario' finished.

"BZZZZZZZT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ROUSING SPEECH! BZZZZZT!", Magnezone said.

"No problem."

"BZZZZZZT! NEVER FEAR, CITIZENS OF TREASURE TOWN! OFFICERS MAGNEMITE AND I ARE KEEPING VIGILANT WATCH OVER ALL OF YOU! THE VENOM BANDIT SHALL NOT GET INTO TREASURE TOWN! LEST WE FAIL, WIGGLYTUFF'S GUILD HAS PLENTY OF EXPLORERS BUNKED AND READY TO DRIVE HIM AWAY! ONLY REMEMBER TO TRAVEL IN GROUPS WHILE LEAVING, LEST THIS BRUTISH BEAST COME AND STEAL YOUR ITEMS AND KNOCK YOU OUT! BZZZZZZT!"

_And the stupid robot thing kept talking about the law, protecting everyone, blah blah. But... "Wigglytuff's Guild"? The crap was that? Some kinda other security thing? There was so much stuff I didn't know about... So much stuff I had to be careful about. They lived near, or in the town, so they probably hated me, too._

_I heard enough of their junk, so I decided I should get out of there._

_Then I heard a rustle._

_I stopped, and looked quickly around. Nobody nearby... I ought to steer clear of those houses. Someone might've spotted me, and I'm not in the mood to beat up a whole town._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Not sure if I could, though. A group's one thing, a whole town of them...?_

_Blah. I could do it. I'm sure I could._

_I made my way around the houses, carefully enough. Nothing happened afterwards._

_Must've just been a branch falling. Trees can be weak like that._

_Dammit, I shouldn't be this jumpy. I got some stuff for my new home, even if it was just a bunch of soft stuff to sit on. It beats sitting on a cold icy floor._

_Guess I've gone and pissed off the elite guys, now-_

"Leaving so soon?", Lucario's voice sounded behind.

_Son of a..._

_I barely had time to move out of the way of an incoming energy shot. Focus Blast, I think._

_I knew going to listen in was a bad idea! Dammit, I shouldn't have done that! Note to self, never listen to myself anymore. You get screwed over by YOUR OWN SELF._

_I couldn't take any time to turn around, the trees were too dense. I made a run for it, at least to get a bigger opening to fight in._

"Raichu, go and alert the town! I'll catch this bandit myself!", Lucario commanded.

_I kept running. I heard that "Lucario" guy chasing me from behind. I knew there was a clearing up ahead. I kept moving, before I made my way in. I curled up, rolled, and turned around quickly enough to turn and stop._

_'Lucario' stopped, too._

_I dug my feet into the ground, scratching a bit. This guy wasn't gonna take me. He better make for a good fight, though. If he's one of 'The best', he better at least be able to hurt me._

"You're not running anymore? If you fight me, you're going to lose.", Lucario replied.

_For the first time, probably in my entire life, I opened my mouth._

"I'm not gonna fight you."

_He tilted his head, like he was dumbstruck. I got the bag off of my neck, so I wouldn't have any problems with it._

"You're not?-"

"I'm gonna **KICK YOUR ASS**!", _I shouted at that little punk, all smug and uppity._

_I made a charge at him, lowering my head for Megahorn. He quickly hopped over me._

_Punk at least could move._

_I turned to face him again, and spat a few Poison Stings at him._

_... They bounced off of him. Not even a scratch._

"Poison Sting? Is that the best you've GOT?"

_My poison moves were out of the question. This guy apparently ain't fazed by it._

_Then he shot some blue orb at me. I moved out of the way in the nick of time. Stupid two-leggers... Thinking they're faster than me 'cause they're smaller!_

_I curled up, then charged at the little punk with Steamroller. He jumped to the side, and I swung around for another shot. Then he held out his arms, like he was gonna try and stop me._

_Ha. Bad move._

_... Then he stopped me. Son of a-_

_Then shoved me back, then KICKED my back while I was curled up. I rolled back, and wound up uncurling upside down. Luckily, I'm armored on my back, so that didn't really hurt me much, if at all._

_I didn't have much time. I needed to deal with this guy and get the hell out of here, 'fore anyone else showed up for a scrap. I had to pull out the OTHER big guns._

_It was still daytime, so I could do this._

_I started to collect sunlight in my horns. This'll show him a thing or two._

_Then he threw more of those blue orbs at me. I took the hits, but they actually kinda hurt- especially since they hit my front. I'm not well protected from the front._

_Either way, I finished charging._

_I roared, and shot off a ray of Solarbeam at that cocky little chump. He tried to move out of the way._

_I turned my head to chase after him, firing._

_I pegged that sucker good._

_I laughed as I blasted him with Solarbeam. He wasn't gonna get up any time soon!_

_I used up all my sunlight..._

_... And that sucker was barely even scratched! What the hell!_

"Solarbeam? Come on, I'm part steel type!"

_I panted for a second. It's a bit tiring taking in that energy._

_Then he kicked me in the gut, really good too, with a flaming kick._

_I think I spat up some of my breakfast, he hit me hard enough._

_I stepped back, kinda reeling that I think I was gonna be bruised for a few days. I think I'll have trouble eating._

_Son of a BITCH, that hurt!_

_Now I'm damn pissed. NOBODY kicks me in the gut, makes me spit up my food, and gets away with it._

_This guy._

_Is going down._

_I shook my head, curled up, and sped at the bastard. I'm not thinkin' this is gonna happen!_

_Luckily, I took him off guard and flattened him with my size. I know that steel types aren't really that hurt by bug moves like Steamroller, but this kid's a lightweight. I circled around._

_Punk was getting up._

_I wasn't about to let that happen._

_I smashed him into the ground again. Shouting and screaming in the pain of MY RAGE._

_He wasn't getting up any time soon._

_I heard the voices gathering. They were coming fast._

_I slipped the bag around my gut again, and I had to make a break for it._

_I ran pretty quick. Scolipede are pretty fast, you know. Just 'cause we're big don't mean we can't move._

_Lucky for me, I managed to outrun that mob. Unlucky for me, I think that stupid blue guy left both a bruise AND a burn from that kick. I wasn't in a good condition to fight anymore._

_Made my way back to the snowy land, blasted back down my dungeon, and got to my little cave at the bottom. I took off the bag and plunked it down. I picked up the soft stuff in my mouth and started scattering it to make a sort of bed._

_Couldn't find anything to help my burn._

_This sucks._

_I barely got anything worth it, and I get kicked in the gut instead._

_Shows me not to go near that place ever again if I want to keep my food in me. 'Least I got to show that stupid "Best of the best" who really was the top Pokémon._

_"Elite", my ass._


	8. ICanderackI Out of commission

Antivenom

Chapter VIII

"Out of commission"

_Fffffff..._

_This burn is a pain in the tail, y'know?_

_Dammit, I won't be fighting anyone like that guy any time soon again. The dummies in this cave are easy enough, though. I didn't think that these little twig-munches had it in them to throw someone actually tough enough to __almost__ handle me. I'll actually have to train to keep a lead on 'em._

_Except I can't DO any training. This burn's that bad. Damn..._

_Why me?_

_Why ME?_

_Why ME, of all Pokémon?_

_Why am I the one who has to magically appear in this stupid world? Why isn't it some goody two-shoes twig-munch? They're better with people than I am. They're far better to put into some stupid world with these stupid morons who don't have a damn scrap of REAL toughness in 'em._

_I've got no one._

_I'm really no one._

_I looked over at the stream. Deep enough to cover my mouth, at least..._

_This place ain't home. I can't call it home. It's not for me. There's too much of this 'Friendship' shit. I don't wanna deal with it anymore. If all those 'Friends' think they're gonna make me pay for the crap I've done because they annoyed the hell outta me?_

_They're wrong. They're so damn wrong, if I had longer arms, I'd punch them in the jaws._

_Stupid Pokémon at that stupid Treasure Town... What's so good about having a zillion of these stupid 'Friends', anyway? It's a load of shit. They'll backstab you at some point. They expect you to do crap for them. It's dumb._

_I hate doing crap for people. They expect me to do more crap after._

_I got up off the little 'bed' I made out of that soft stuff. I slowly walked over to the little stream._

_I glared at my face, looking back at me in the water._

_What an ugly face._

_Looked so angry, and like he doesn't give a shit._

_I was gonna have a talk with that bastard._

_... I stuck my mouth in the water. It was too shallow to fit my whole head._

_There's nothing else for me. Everyone's a backstabbing little crap who wants me to do crap for them. ESPECIALLY that Juniper girl. She isn't even worth my damn time._

_Shit, these are the last few thoughts I'm gonna have running through my head._

_Mostly 'cause I'm done thinking about things. It's not worth it to me, anymore._

_If I didn't live such a... a... Such a FUCKED UP life..._

_I'd probably not be having these problems._

_Need to breathe..._

_Can't take my head out now._

_Fight it..._

_Dammit, why can't people just leave me the hell alone? I don't want to talk to them!_

_They're not me! They don't know me! They'll never know me!_

_They'll never know me..._

_Not after this._

_Shit... Have to..._

_They'll find me, sooner or later. They'll probably love it, too. They can take their Arceus-damned sweet food, and Arceus-damned EAT IT! They can CHOKE on it!_

_Then I heard the shouting._

_I pulled my head out of the water instantly, and took in a long breath._

_Dammit, what now? I was just about done._

_..._

_..._

_DAMMIT! Did they find me already? HOW!_

_Son of a..._

"GET BACK HERE, YOU STUPID LITTLE RUNT!", a male voice called, angrily.

_... Who the hell was he calling a runt? I probably make him look like a MIDGET!_

_Then there was the panting. I heard a much lighter voice panting._

_It was coming this way._

_So was the other voice._

_Then some little... snow.. tree... kid... THING, just plain went flying past my in the room, then hit the wall and slid down on his top._

_Looks like it hurt._

_Then the fat one came in, all covered in snow-white... whiteness. And he was pissed. Sounded like the guy who must've called that kid a midget._

_Then the fat guy paused and looked at me, then back at the snow tree kid._

"Stupid kid!"_, snow-fatty said, moving his arm or whatever towards me like I wasn't there._

"Can't even watch out for OUTLAWS coming into our place! This is the LAST TIME I let you do ANYTHING that I should be doing!", _he kept going on._

_Then he grabbed the kid, and flung him across the room into another wall. He hit hard, and he shouted out pretty good in the pain._

_I shivered._

_Dammit, no...!_

(Flashback)

"DAMNIT, CANDERACK! YOU PATHETIC LITTLE SHIT! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOSE!"

"WORTHLESS KID!"

SMACK!

(Unflashback)

"Dad..! Stop! It hurts!", 'Snow Tree Kid' groaned.

"NOT until you finally GET that I'm done with you being useless!"

PUNCH!

_I twitched._

_It's so familiar..._

_Make it... Make it go away...!_

(Flashback)

SMACK!

CRACK!

"This is gonna keep happening until you stop losing! UNDERSTAND?"

WHACK!

(Unflashback)

_Then he picked him up, then threw him into the ground. He stopped moving. I think he was out cold._

_I shook my head really fast._

_It took me frickin' forever to make it stop happening...!_

_Son of a...!_

_(Flashback)_

CRUNCH!

Whine... Sob...

"QUIT YOUR BAWLING!"

"SUCK IT UP!"

(Unflashback)

_Snow fatty looked at me._

"So, the Venom Bandit hides in MY little home away from home? You aren't fit for fighting... I can see that bad burn you got."

_I shook. Then I stopped shaking._

_He cracked his knuckles._

"You're gonna make me FAMOUS!"

_No._

_Not in a million, jillion, gazillion, mega-fucking-MILLION FUCKING YEARS!_

_I roared so loud, I probably coulda gave myself away._

_I curled up, rolled back into the wall, launched myself, uncurled while I flew, then I HIT THAT SON OF A FUCKING BITCH IN HIS FAT, UGLY, STUPID, FACE!_

_It took him down, but not out._

_I started beating him._

_I didn't know when I stopped._

_I did everything I could._

_Poison Sting. Steamroller. Rollout. Toxic. Megahorn. Poison Tail. Venoshock. X-Scissor. Poison Jab. Cut._

_Everything._

_I think I broke a few things, because he didn't make a single sound. Nor did he move._

_Then, like all those other chumps who were like those explorers, or those "Officers", he vanished, too._

_I panted._

_I felt water in my eyes._

_I... Damnit..._

_I was weak._

_I let myself fall for some stupid kid and..._

_And..._

_A-and..._

_I sat by that kid... That beaten kid. I picked him up and set him on my bed, then I curled around him to keep him warm. Ice types like the heat every now and then, I think..._

_I wasn't gonna let that asshole beat this kid anymore. I'm not. Dammit..._

_I dozed off._

_I had nightmares._

_My parents, they..._

_They beat me again._

_I felt my bones break._

_I cried and screamed and yelled and shouted and..._

_It didn't work._

_They called me weak._

_They beat me more._

_I... I need help..._

_No... Make it stop...!_

_Please..._

_I woke up before I swore I was about to get my face stomped in._

_The kid was starting to wake up, too._

_Shit... What was I going to say? I'm a frickin' outlaw known probably through the whole frickin' world. And I just saved this kid._

_I was gonna make sure nobody hurt him any more. I don't want that picture in my head anymore. Some other kid ain't gonna go throuh the same shit I did._

_I'd figure out a way... Somehow._

_I uncurled, quick, and just sat on the ice. I stared down at him, too._

_No more beating..._

_I was the Venom Bandit. I was a criminal._

_I'm no dad... I'm not really even old enough, I think._

_I was gonna watch this kid, though. I only hope..._

_... Screw that. I don't need hope._

_Hope is for wusses._

_... I think._

"Ngh... ugh...", 'Snow Kid' murmured, still in pain from the brutal assault.

_Wake up and smell the sunshine... The sunshine that ain't in here._

"Where am I...?"

"Wh... Where's my dad?"

_Then he saw me, and freaked out. I don't think he could move much, he barely even got to his feet._

"V... Venom Bandit...! P-please... I have no money or items! D-Don't hurt me!"

_Dammit... What was the word..._

"No.", _I said._

"... No? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Canderack.",_ I told him._

_Damn... I can't talk to people even if I was gonna get my head chopped off._

"Who's that? Is that you?"

_I shook my head 'yes'._

"D-Did you save me?"

_I shook my head 'yes', again._

"Why?"

_I grunted._

"Um... I'm Turv."

_So that was the kid's name. Turv._

_Whatever..._

"Why are you down here?", Turv asked.

_Geez... Nothing but questions._

_I looked over to the water, and sorta tried to show him that I was there for drinking water by moving my head towards it quick a few times._

_Turv came over, but kinda slowly._

_I took a drink._

"You're here for the water? Why? There's plenty of water elsewhere..."

_Maybe he didn't think that I might've needed to-_

_Dammit, my burn's acting up..._

_I think my skin's coming off._

_I dunked my gut in the water._

_HOLY ARCEUS THAT'S COLD! But I had to. It'd make the burning stop._

"Your burn? You must've fought a fire-type. I... I don't know if I should help you or not!", Turv said, still a bit shaken.

"No... You saved me. You have to have SOME good in your heart...! I know what to do! But you'll have to trust me, Venom Ba- I mean... Canderack!"

_Beats having a burn._

"See, I got saved by someone else before. She calls herself the 'Snow Witch'. She'll know what to do about that burn! It looks too bad for a Rawst berry to heal it."

_Snow Witch, huh...?_

_Better than nothing._

"Show me."_, I said._

"Okay! Follow me- Ow... My feet..."

_I plucked an Oran berry from my bag, and gave it to him._

"Really? Are you sure...?"

_I nodded._

_Then he ate it. He looked a lot better afterwards._

_Turv..._

"Alright! Let's go!"

_Then we went through the dungeon. I made sure none of those jackwads even came close to the kid. I'd make sure he wouldn't get hurt._

_Because I'd do the same thing for me._

_... I think that makes sense._

_We left the dungeon, and the cave. He waved me over._

"Come on! We got a bit of a walk ahead of us!"

_Why was he just so ready to help me? Did he think I'd beat him up?_

_I'd let him go... He was just a kid. A beaten kid..._

_A kid I used to be._

_Dammit..._

_We got going again. We really took a lot of time walking through the snow. It was cold. Turv seemed fine, though. Ice-type... Blah. I'm tough enough for this crap. I can take it. It'd keep my burn from burning, anyway._

_We passed by a lot of snow and trees. A cave or two, too. Was this whole world full of all these dungeons...?_

_They were always different, too. They were never the same when I went through the one between the surface and the place I wanted to call home. They always had stuff in them, too. Including those coins with the P on them._

_Geez... What did I get myself into? Now I'm on the run with some kid. They're gonna think I beat up his dad and took him with me to show me to some kind of treasure, or something._

_Damn. I hate being hated. It sucks._

_They weren't gonna take me, though. Not now, not later, not ever._

_ESPECIALLY not that smug 'Lucario'. I made sure he knew which of us was better. I made sure. I drove my point, like him, into the ground._

_I smirked a bit to myself. Turv was going to get my burn fixed for me. I think._

_He owed me... But..._

_I don't know. I wanted to keep the kid safe. He didn't deserve it, like those other kids who thought they were tough and tried to bag me._

_Maybe I'd just watch over him for a while. Make sure he grows up strong the right way. Maybe..._

_Maybe._

_Oh well._

_I had to go see that 'Snow Witch' first, 'cause I needed to get my burn treated before I was going to fight anyone else. Which is a little weird, considering I still beat this kid's jackass of a dad back in that cave._

_Whatever. This burn was getting treated._

_End of story._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_This better not take forever, or I swear I'm... Nah. I couldn't beat this kid... He didn't deserve it._


	9. ICanderackI All this snow

Antivenom

Chapter IX

"All this snow..."

_So we kept walking through this totally bland, almost all-white land full of snow. Why do ice-types love living here? It's so boring-looking. Even that cave had this one color all over the place. Save for some of the junk I found lying around, but those were small, like berries and those coins._

_I kept following that Turv kid. It's a little weird; how did I end up at the one place he'd get all beaten up at? There's all these other icy caves and snowy woods to have dungeons with places at the end to use as a place to stay at the end. What're the chances of me really having saved that kid?_

_It's just like it was supposed to happen._

_... Whatever. It's not gonna bug me much._

_I could use some food, though. I haven't eaten since I left my cave to sneak around that Treasure Town place. I wonder what they're thinking after I messed up that 'Lucario' guy? They're probably gonna wise up and stop looking for me. And if they find me, they're gonna run away like whiny little girls._

_Makes keeping this kid safe much easier, I bet._

_My gut grumbled._

_Food would be pretty nice right about now..._

_I must've been loud enough, because Turv stopped and looked at me._

"What's wrong? Are you hungry?"

_I nodded 'yes'. At least the kid could figure things out._

_He looked around a bit._

"Um... I can't see any good places for something to eat. Are you really that hungry? We should get there soon, and they'll have food when we get there."

_Sounded good. I shook my head 'no', and we kept going. Eventually, I just carried him on my back, since I could go faster._

_To tell you the truth, all of these Pokemon looked different. They weren't at all like the ones back in Unova. I only wonder what Pokemon the "Snow Witch" was, 'cause I had no idea. I never hung around places with ice-types in Unova, so I got no idea._

_With a bit more time, Turv had me stop. He said we were near, but I didn't see anything. There was a little bit of woods again over to the left, but he said that wasn't where she was. I paced around a bit while he tried to remember. He told me I shouldn't walk around too much. I saved him, I could do as I-_

_OH SHIT!_

_The snow suddenly broke out from under me, and I fell down some slide made out of snow and ice. I couldn't sit myself up properly, so I just helplessly tumbled down._

_Turv called after me. I could tell he hopped down the tunnel too, 'cause he kept calling and his voice was pretty near._

_We slipped and slid over all sorts of curves, sometimes riding on the walls for a second or two. You know, this was actually kinda... fun!_

_I tried to get myself upright, and eventually did. I was lying on my back though, and we just kept sliding. What a rush, how fast we were going! I couldnt even run this fast!_

_We came up to a bend that just ended there, and got launched off and into some long pit._

_Oh. This is why. The slide was just a trick._

_Dammit..._

_We both actually fell for a bit. Turv was trying to reach me, but it was dark and we couldn't see. We started to see light as we kept falling, and that was kinda bad. That means we were getting near the bottom._

_Oh, this is gonna hurt..._

**WHAAAM!**

... Thud.

_Aw, shit... I think I broke something. Ow..._

_I was laid out on my back again. That fall was killer, but I was still awake. Turv wasn't as heavy, so I think he wasn't as badly hurt, 'cause he quickly got up and ran over. Either it was his weight, or he had some kinda stuff that made falling in snow less painful. Probably the first one, though._

"Canderack! Are you okay?"

_I groaned and shook my head 'No'. I just hit the bottom of a long pit, and I hurt. You think I'd be okay?_

_He nervously looked around._

"Um... Um! What do I do, what do I do...!"

_He opened my bag and looked through it. He got out the only other Oran berry I had, and fed it to me. The pain quickly went away, and I was back in... okay condition. Burn still there, though._

"Hey! Who's there?", a girl's voice came calling from an opening. "Trespassers...!"

_I got to my feet. I dug my feet into the snow, scratching, ready to fight._

"Uh! That's...!", Turv said, familiar with the voice.

_... Then... __she__ came._

_Had this dark purple skin I think, under this mask she had on. IT had two bits of ice on it, eye holes, and this empty hole in the middle and a big one on the bottom with toothy-looking points on it. She had this white wavy thing on, and a red bow was on it, too._

_I lost my cool a bit. Something made me a little... I can't really describe it. I don't know, she made me feel... comfy. Even though she was probably pissed and gonna want to fight us._

_She came into the room._

"The Venom Bandit is here! How did you find-!", she started.

"Xiva!", Turv called, suddenly hugging onto her kimono.

"Turv! Look out, the Venom Bandit followed-", she once again started.

"No, no! It's okay! He saved me from my dad!" Turv interrupted.

_... This is the 'Snow Witch'?_

_I thought she'd be ugly. Not... Whoa._

"Turv, did he make you do this? What does he want with us?"

"He's got a burn, but a Rawst berry probably couldn't fix it. We know that you could maybe help and... and..."

"You want me to help one of the most infamous criminals in the world?"

"He has a heart! You gotta trust me!"

Xiva put one of her hands to her chin, thinking.

_Oh, so even these people who live out all alone know about me. Shows just what beating people up and taking their stuff does for you._

"... You didn't lie to me before, so... I'll trust you. Don't let me down, Turv."

"Thank you so much! Canderack won't hurt anyone, I swear!"

"He had a name?"

_I grumbled. Ass..._

"Yeah. He told me back at this cave my dad was...", Turv trailed off.

_'Xiva' hugged that Turv kid close._

"Shush... It's okay."

_She looked over to me._

"Come on. We'll treat that burn you've got."

_She led Turv and I into this really nice smelling room. There were soft things with patterns all over them. I liked those soft things for one reason._

_They had flower patterns on them._

_Xiva must've been making something, because she was making something in a small... thing. It was round._

"Does Canderack drink tea?", Xiva asked.

_Tea? The crap is tea?_

"I don't know.", Turv said, looking to Canderack.

_... Uh._

_I walked over to the stuff in the thing. I gave it a smell. It smelled kinda nice. I slowly lowered my mouth to try some._

_Then 'Xiva' pushed my head back up._

"Don't drink that, it's too hot!", Xiva warned.

_I grumbled._

"He's hungry, too. I heard his belly growl pretty loud on the way here.", Turv added.

"Not surprising, considering he can't buy any or get any for free from anyone...", Xiva returned.

_I growled. She wasn't gonna be sarcastic about me. She does that again, I swear..._

_She had me sit on a couple of soft cushion thingies. I just took in the sweet smell in the room. She took the round thing off of a fire after a bit, then blew a little Icy Wind into it to cool it down, then put it into a small cup. She held it up to my mouth._

"Here, drink this. It'll help you recover."

_I tasted it. It was a little... not sweet. Bitter, kinda. It felt good, though. It made me feel tingly. My burn felt really tingly, though._

_It stopped burning. The skin that was peeling peeled off and fell off. I felt... I felt great! I felt like I could take on the world!_

_What IS that stuff? I want more of it!_

_I finished it off. I didn't feel any better, but I still felt kinda tingly._

"Do you like it? It's a special recipe my mother taught me. I help other Pokemon with it, every once and a while.", Xiva said.

_I nodded. It was good, it just didn't taste that good. This world's got all kinds of weird stuff in it..._

"Wow...! Your burn healed like it was nothing!", Turv said, a bit astonished.

"I had to use this tea for you too, Turv. You weren't awake when I had you drink it, you were unconcious from exhaustion. You were in pretty bad shape.", Xiva said.

_... Figures the kid probably left his dad before. Considering the crap I saw back at that cave, this isn't surprising. 'cept..._

_... Whatever._

_I'm not gonna care..._

_..._

_..._

_Too much._

"Is this all you came here for, Turv? Just to get Canderack's burn healed? Not even to say hi?"

"Well... Um... I don't know. Where's the Snow Witch?", Turv asked.

"Come on, Turv. You know that's my mom." Xiva replied.

_Wait a minute. THIS girl isn't the Snow Witch? It's just her kid?_

_Who the hell's the real deal, then?_

_Probably not as..._

_I felt my face get warm for some reason. Hell if I know why._

_Had something to do with that 'Xiva' girl, though._

_I don't think they saw me, though. Which is kinda hard to believe, since I'm eight frickin' feet tall. Wait, why did I care about them seeing me? My face is just warm. It's not like I'm sick._

_Am I?_

"You never told me her name. You just kept calling her 'Mom'.", Turv said, a tad bit defensive.

"Did you ever call your parents by name, kiddo?", Xiva wittily fired back.

"Um..."

_Turv looked off to the side. Girl's got a brain. I never called MY parents by name..._

_Not that I even know their names. All I know is fight. And hating people._

_I looked around the room a little, enjoying the smell and the stuff around me. It was not like home, it seemed like it was pretty and belonged somewhere else. Then again, this IS somewhere else._

_Duh..._

"Exactly. So, what's with Canderack? Not much of a talker?", Xiva asked.

_I grunted. Sure, let's go with that..._

_Turv scratched the back of his head._

"I don't know. He didn't say much to begin with, but people say he says all kinds of mean things. He literally hasn't said anything other than 'no' and his name."

_Then Xiva looked over at me._

"Then it's not that he's 'Not a talker'. He most likely can't really talk to others. Is that true?", she asked.

_I grumbled, and nodded 'yes'._

"That's... That's not even right...", Turv commented, seeming down.

_Xiva floated over to me. She... She put her hand under my chin, almost scratching._

_My face felt real warm. I looked down with only my eyes._

"You were raised terribly wrong, weren't you...?", she asked.

_I just grunted. St-stop being so close to me...!_

"Um, Xiva? I think he's blushing.", Turv commented.

_Blushing? Who the hell was..._

_..._

_Dammit._

_That's why my face was warm._

_Xiva floated up to see me, face to face._

_I stared into her eyes. She stared into mine._

"What's the matter? Never been touched by a girl before?", she giggled.

_Piss off! I'm not used to people touching me, period!_

_Arceus help me..._

"So that's why you're an outlaw! You couldn't really tell anyone, and... Uh...", Turv trailed off.

"Easy to anger.", Xiva finished for him.

_Yeah, well screw you, too. You're not the ones who had to fight or get beaten. Or fight and lose and get beaten anyway._

_Asses..._

"So... What do we do now?", Turv asked.

_I glanced around for some kind of exit. I needed to get away from Xiva. She made me feel... weird._

_Some sort of weird-good feeling._

_I don't know if I like it or not._

"Look, you both ought to stay for a bit. You've had a long day. It's getting dark. I'll get some dinner ready for the two of you. Canderack, I don't know if I have anything to set you up for some cozy sleeping, but the floor isn't too cold. Do you mind?", Xiva asked.

_I shook my head._

_Wait, why was I just going to __agree__ with this girl? I need to be more damn cautious. The last time I trusted a girl, she stabbed me in my Arceus-damned back._

_... Dammit! That stupid Juniper prick!_

_I grit my teeth, but I made sure I turned my head away first, so they wouldn't pick up on it._

_I'll save you the details. Xiva made us dinner. It was pretty good... for berries and red fruits. Is that all they had here for food? Not that I don't like the taste..._

_Xiva and Turv slept in a bunkbed. Xiva slept on top, Turv took the bottom. I got the floor, but a few cushions to lie on. Gotta have something, I guess..._

_Damn. Ever since I've taken to helping this kid, good things have been happening to me. Mostly. Falling down a pit sucked. I still got that burn fixed though, so that's still a plus._

_I sighed._

_After I started protecting this kid, or at least thinking I was gonna be his protector, which is a nice thing, nice things have been happening. Is this really what being a 'good' guy really sums up to be?_

_I don't want people to like me. They'll bug me to do crap I don't feel like doing._

_... At least, I think. Probably... Yeah._

_Whatever. I could just go for some sleep._

_So I dozed off._

_I'd have to figure out what to do tomorrow..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

"Trying to elude me are you, beast?"

_Aw, son of a-_


	10. ICanderackI Losing Control

Antivenom

Chapter X

"Losing Control"

_The whole time I was asleep, it sucked big ones. I had that nightmare with fatty, again. It felt like forever, with how much crap he decided to hurt me with. I swear, I feel sore right now as I'm coming to from sleeping._

_I groaned. Son of a twig-munch, I had no idea nightmares could kill you like this._

_I was the only one up. Xiva and Turv were still asleep in their bunks. Bit of a wonder if you ask me, 'cause I swear I probably was shouting and screaming and crap the whole time, and I was kinda loud before, anyway._

_I looked around the room. The soft stuff with flower designs sorta made me hurt a less, but not a lot less. I still hurt. I hate hurting. It's painful._

_I had to find a way out. I remember that 'Mac' kid saying that other ghosty-types gave other Pokemon nightmares, too. If I stay around these two, they might give them killer dreams, too. That Turv kid didn't deserve it, and... I don't know why I want to let Xiva be free of it. Maybe it's 'cause she fixed my burn. We'd be equal that way, yeah._

_I milled around a little, looking for an exit to the place. I'd leave them be for now 'til I got to the bottom of all these nightmares. Plus, I'd get to beat the shit out of fatty's food-loving ass. I'm gonna love it so much, I think I'd die._

_I smelled the flower patterns on the soft stuff, but it didn't have a smell. That was lame. I got back to looking around a bit, then it struck me. The soft stuff pushed back farther than the wall._

_I nudged my nose around the corner, and moved it to the side a little. I saw there was a little space leading up and out. Not sure if I could fit, though. I'm a big guy, you know. Oh well, it's worth a shot. It's better than trying to climb back up that slide._

_Wait, that's not even possible. I can't even climb out of that pit. Dumb idea._

_Anyway, I nudged the soft stuff to the side and started to make my way out. It was a tight squeeze, but I slowly started to make my way out. I had to figure out a way to find where those ghosty-types are, since I don't know myself. Maybe I could just mug one of those Treasure Townies for the info, and be on my way. I'd go to where they are, beat them up, and then I wouldn't have any more nightmares. That'd be the day... Yeah. I like good ideas. Especially mine._

_It took me a while to get out of that damn tight space. It must've been made for Xiva and probably someone else small, too. Why was everything so tiny in this world? It annoyed me._

_Once I did, I took a few breaths of fresh air. It was still cold, but I had that pink scarf on still, so I wasn't as cold as I thought I was. I made sure my bag was still on my gut, in case I found anything I could use on the way. Or if the guy I mugged had anything I could use, like Oran berries or red fruits to eat so I wouldn't be hungry._

_After I checked off my two-box checklist, I started going in the first direction I thought would be Treasure Town. This time I knew what I was up against. Plus, it was still night. They'd all be sleeping, so I could probably go and take one of them down and get them to sing. Or I could wait until morning, then when they started to go out on their "missions" and crap, whatever those were (Probably to get other guys who are called Outlaws? Some of those chumps a long time ago said they were 'On a mission to catch the Venom Bandit', blah-de-blah...), and I'd get one or two of the stragglers that go really early or really late._

_I kept going. I got to the greens, eventually. I took a break for a bit, since walking makes me tired if I do it for a long time. Or in the snow, 'cause that stuff doesn't want to move. That annoys me when stuff doesn't wanna go the way I want to. Whatever. It's just snow. There's no more out here, anyway._

_... Dammit. Did I really want to do this? There's better crap I could be doing. Like... like..._

_Finding a big field of flowers to sit in, or..._

_... Find out what the stars mean. I wanted to know that._

_The stars..._

_I walked around a little and found a spot where I could see into the night sky. I saw all sorts of stars up there, all twinkling and shining... They were pretty. I liked the night sky. Maybe if I didn't know, it'd be prettier that way._

_... No. I wanted to figure out what they meant. I'd find out, one way or another. I got up again after I had a bit of rest, and kept going towards Treasure Town. My plan would work. It had to._

_I heard rustling among the bushes as I kept going. Shit, did they somehow know I'd try and come around at night?_

_I stopped walking, and I planted my feet firmly in the ground. I'd beat these chumps up and make them squeal. I'd make them squeal __good__._

_Then something leaped out and hit me across the face with Night Slash. Son of a-!_

_Then shadow balls came and hit me on the sides and back. That wasn't as bad, 'cause I was armored like that._

_I curled into a ball, and started to roll. I needed to find a better place so I could see who was attacking me better, and I can't really fight in a smaller place. Whoever it was had a lot of nerve...!_

_They kept attacking me as I rolled. Mostly with Shadow Ball, since they couldn't catch up to me. I came out to a clearing, and unrolled. I turned around to see..._

_... Nobody chasing me._

_Where the hell were they? They should've been following-_

_Then I got hit on the OTHER side of my face with a night slash. Son of a BITCH, that hurts!_

_I looked to the side, then I took some more shadow balls to the back._

_I roared. These bastards better man up and show their face, or I'm gonna beat 'em into the ground!_

_... Well, I was going to anyway, so..._

_I looked around real fast, and I finally spotted some short guys with round heads with pointy bits on the sides and they had shiny rocks for eyes. And they had sharp teeth, and they were smiling with their mouths open._

"Kekekeke! He's found us!"

"Get him! Don't let him get away!"

_They started attacking again. Unlike before, I could fight back._

_A couple of them jumped at me. I plopped on my back for a second, and smacked them past me with Poison Tail, before getting back on my feet._

_A shadow ball or two hit me in the side. That was getting annoying. The guys who were doing that were little floating bits of soft stuff with eyes and a point on their head. No arms, no legs... Just floating things. Dolls?_

_They'd probably run away if I got close, so I spat up Venoshock to keep them a little busy._

_I looked over my shoulder to see another one of those shiny-eyed guys jumping onto my back and started whacking away with Night Slash. It hurt a bit, but I still shrugged it off._

_I curled up and steamrolled the moron. It felt good._

_Anyway, I'll just say it took a while for me to deal with all of them. I actually got hit more than I would've liked, but I took them out. I could probably find some Oran Berries lying around somewhere. I made my way-_

"Leaving ssso sssoon, Venom Bandit?"

_... Familiar voice. I looked over and..._

_Snakey was on me. He curled around my body real tight, and glared at me, face-to-face. I noticed he had a black eye. I almost laughed._

_I gave him a black eye._

"You're going to pay for HUMILIATING me, now that I've found you! I'll make you CRY for mercy!"

_I spat at him with a little bit of Venoshock, to piss him off._

_He hissed really loud and squeezed really tight._

_Son of a twig-munch, it started to get hard to breathe!_

_Done playing around. I decided to pinch into him with my claws, using X-scissor._

_He hissed loudly at how much it hurt, but he kept squeezing. I think I started to choke._

_I shook around a bit, trying to get him off. I couldn't curl up, he was wrapped around me too much. I couldn't move a lot._

"Ssstop shaking! You're MINE! Sssiev shall be FAMOUSSS for bagging the Venom Bandit!"

_I tried to breathe, but I couldn't. My vision started to get hazy._

_I pinched as much as I could, and I could barely even make a squeak, let alone a roar. It was night too, so I couldn't get Solarbeam ready to blast him off, either._

_Shit, was this it? Was SNAKEY going to take me down and kill me?_

_No, it's not going like this. Not now._

_I dug into that bastard as much as I could. He kept shouting in the pain._

_Except... it didn't work._

_I blacked out because I couldn't breathe._

_Shit..._

_Shit..._

_Shit.._

_SHIT!_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_I don't know how long it was, but I started to come to at some point. I was in some kind of closed spot. A jail?_

_My legs were tied together, so I was forced to lie on my side. My horns were tied together, too._

_This sucks._

"HEY everyone! The VENOM BANDIT's finally AWAKE!", an obnoxiously loud voice shouted.

_The sound of that guy made me want to rip my head off._

"Okay, okay, Loudred! We're coming!"

"Just wanted to LET you KNOW he's UP!"

_Great. What were they gonna do with me? Torture? Tough luck. I won't talk._

_..._

_I CAN'T talk._

_Shit._

_Oh, this was going to be good. That 'Lucario' punk and some short, fat, orange rat with an electric bolt tail came over. Snakey was with them, too. He was smiling the biggest, smuggest smile I'd ever seen on him. Smug little snake... One that I gave a black eye._

_... For some backstabbing bitch. I'm gonna find that Juniper once I'm out of here._

"You're certainly tougher than I thought you were. I'll give you that.", Lucario started, breaking the ice.

_I grunted, glaring at him._

"You already know that you've been a wanted criminal for a LONG time. You aren't getting off the hook so easily."

_Whatever. I'd wind up getting away at some point. Most likely, yeah..._

_Then he moved an arm... paw, whatever, towards Snakey._

"Siev, another criminal like you, decided to bring you to justice to make amends for his crimes of theft and kidnapping."

"Yeeeeeessss. I had a change of heart, and decccccided to bring him here after arresssssting him mysssself.", Siev responded.

_Jackass. I'm gonna kick your ass so hard, you're gonna have more than just a black eye the next time I look at your ugly mug._

"You'll be allowed a day or two to get used to living here, confined in the Guild's prison. You'll be given scraps after everyone's eaten dinner, and you'll be monitored VERY often by guild personnel. You'll be questioned later. You'd best give us the information we want, or you'll be in jail for a loooooong time, pal.", Lucario explained.

_I grunted and bucked my head a little. He wasn't gonna make me do shit. I'd get away, I'd show them._

"Right. Raichu, you do what you need to. I have to look into another issue concerning the mystery thief."

_The fat orange rat nodded at his buddy. Lucario left to go do some other crap I didn't care about._

_Gee. They expect me to go somewhere with my legs tied. Not enough sunlight coming in to charge solarbeam, not that I could. My horns are tied. I'm really in a sticky one... Whatever. I'd figure something out._

_Then the fat rat leaned close to me, at least as close as the bars would let him._

_He spoke real quietly. Guy voice._

"You're not really from our world, are you? You aren't any kind of Pokémon of myth?"

_I grunted. I can't tell this stupid rat shit, and I'd rather not, anyway._

_He looked off to the side, then went on his way. Whatever. I had plenty of time to think on how I'd get out._

_I just had no idea where the exit was. Or who was running around in here. I had nothing to really work with._

_I never really had to 'escape', either. This was all new to me. Maybe I'd just wait for them to come by. Maybe they'll realize that I can't talk to them or something. Damn, though... I felt a bit sore from how tight that 'Siev' jackass was squeezing me for._

_Oh yeah. He's still here._

"I'm going to LOVE it when they quesssstion you. You won't ssssay a thing, stupid beassssst. They'll try to make you talk. It'll be sssso hilarioussss to watch!"

_Yeah, and up yours too. I'll make sure you got another black eye to match. Just you wait._

_He slithered off, laughing to himself. I'd show them. I'd get out of here. Maybe._

_No wonder that Lucario guy had no time to brag. He had other crap to do. I probably tied up all this criminal catching business with the stuff I did. Good. Means they'll have a lot more problems than they really shoulda had before they decided to chase me all over the place._

_Whatever..._

_I just lied here for a long time, listening to these little KIDS chat all the time, and stare at me like I'm some kinda frickin'... THING you look at! It was stupid! They usually said something about it being a 'Good Thing' I'm in this Arceus-damn prison cell. I growled at them to make them piss off. Stupid kids didn't even know how scary I could be, 'cause I was tied up._

_Jackasses..._

_It turned to night, as all the Pokémon were called for dinner. I could HEAR how loud they were, eating. It made me hungry. My gut growled for something to eat. I swear, they better have enough leftovers for me to eat, or... or..._

_Dammit. I don't even know. I've never been in this spot before. I usually never lost._

_... Usually never lost._

_I writhed. The memories were coming back._

_All the pain... all the fighting..._

_Make it stop..._

_Make it stop!_

_ARCEUS, MAKE IT STOP!_

_I tried to think happy thoughts. Flowers, food, things..._

_... That 'Xiva' girl. Why was that a happy thought? I didn't give a crap about her..._

_... I think. Something about her just... I don't know._

_I got the memories out of my head. I eventually got fed a few bits of berries and red fruits, which just happened to be enough to feed me. I went to sleep, since I couldn't do anything else. Maybe it'd all go away if I took a really long nap..._

_I slept. I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up somewhere... darkish. It wasn't the prison cell._

_Was this where they were gonna torture me, or something? I wouldn't tell them crap. I couldn't, anyway. I could take it._

_I slowly got to my feet._

"It's awake..."

"Kekekeke... The lord will be very pleased~..."

_Who the hell was out there? It took me half a second to realize that I wasn't even tied, even though I just got up. Sleep messes you up like that._

_I looked around a bit. It was some sorta old ruin, or something. The place gave me more than a few bad vibes. It just kinda had that whole 'Something bad's gonna happen' feeling. I didn't like that feeling._

_I looked around for a way out. I couldn't really see any, it's like I was trapped in a bigger cell._

_No sunlight either, I couldn't blow a hole in the walls to get out. Dammit!_

_Then I heard clapping. And I heard a familiar-sounding voice coming from a dark tube. I saw a floating red... dotty-thing coming from it._

"Well done, Siev. Well done indeed. You've brought to me the beast."

_... Son of a bitch. It was fatty._

_Then Snakey piped up from somewhere I couldn't see._

"Thank you, my lord... It wassss-"

"And it only took you a month and a half to do it.", 'Fatty' remarked, VERY snidely.

"All according to plan, my lord. He already made a bad reputation for himssself, ssso our plansss can move on with him assss a well essstablished cover."

_The dotty thing stopped for a second._

"... I never thought of that. Good planning. The only thing we have to do now is make sure he CONTINUES his criminal spree so we remain untouched."

_Oh, no. I grunted loudly, trying to show that I wasn't gonna be this jackass' little 'Wheel'. Not in a million years._

_Then he came out so I could see him. Looked just like him in my dreams, 'cept he wore a flappy thing around his neck that went down his back._

"You're just as hideous as I saw you in your dreams. Excellent. Anyone could remember your face... Yes..."

_I roared. Bastard wasn't gonna make fun of me for long. How 'bout you come down here so I can kick your tubby ass all the way back to that stupid town?_

_Then he threw his arms out, hands open. Some sorta dark purple glow started-_

_DAMMIT, MY HEAD! THE HELL IS GOING ON!_

"Bow to me, you feral creature, and do my bidding!"

_No, no! Go away! I'll beat the tar outta you! I mean it!_

_No..._

_Starting to lose sight..._

_It's all going dark..._

_...No..._

"Rhuuuuhahahahaaaah! AAAHHHHAAAHAHAAAHAAAAH! The power I desire shall soon be MINE!"

_I lost all vision, and... I could barely hear a lot of voices saying..._

"All hail Lord Krausmer!"

_..._

_..._

_I don't know... I can't feel anything anymore. I'm lost. I..._

_Where am I?_

_It's.._

_Can't... think..._

_..._

_..._

_..._


	11. ITurvI Enter Turv

Antivenom

Chapter XI

"Enter Turv"

_O-oh dang... This isn't good. Canderack's been missing since yesterday, and Xiva never heard him leave. We know he did though, because he wasn't there, and the sliding cloth door was pushed aside. Was I wrong to think that he might've actually been a good guy? What if he went out to go rob more Pokemon...!_

_Was he really only being nice to me out of pity for a little while? Did he only use Xiva and I for a quick bite to eat and a cure for his burn? Ohhhh... I feel so stupid!_

_I'll have to go to Treasure Town to check for news about him. Maybe somebody's seen him somewhere? Maybe I could try to find a way to talk to him? But... there's just one little eensy-weensy problem._

_My dad's probably camping out there, trying to wait me out to go there for food or something. He was an explorer, so he would go right back if he got knocked out while away. I wasn't, because he wanted me to get strong first so I'd be able to join the guild with a head start. Maybe... Maybe Xiva would take me there, and she could say she rescued me._

_That wouldn't solve the problem with my dad being a big jerk, though..._

_I'd have to figure this out one step at a time. Xiva and I had some Cheri Berry tea, and an apple for breakfast this morning._

"Xiva?", I asked.

"What is it, Turv? Still thinking about Canderack?", she returned.

"I-I'm going to go to Treasure Town to see if anyone's seen him anywhere. Maybe we could find out what's happened then! Just... I need a favor."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Could you come with me? I know you like to be out here by yourself, but my dad is probably there, and he'd take me away for...", I trailed off.

_I felt a little sore since that day Canderack saved me. I wouldn't forget that. Even a criminal has some sort of boundary on what they'll stand, right?_

"Oh, Turv! I wouldn't let you leave alone again, not after the last time I trusted you for that. I'll take you there, I just need to hide the trap slide again."

"Th-thanks, Xiva. I owe you a lot."

"Don't mention it. You just need someone to look up to."

_After we were done eating and drinking breakfast, we went outside. Xiva covered up the slide Canderack and I went down to find her in the first place, making sure it was nice and stiff. Usually the only Pokemon that could find her were big and heavy ones, since it only opened up when my dad fell down it last time._

_I started to walk. Xiva could just float. Lucky... I want to float, too. I wonder if she gets tired of floating all the time, like I do when I walk? We didn't really talk much. I had a lot of time to think. I really could only think about Canderack right now..._

_What WAS he? He didn't look like any other Pokemon I've seen before. He was a bug-type, though. He sorta looked like a Caterpie or Weedle, except he sorta had a red outside shell and his soft part was black, and he had legs and horns and a tail and little claws... It was really weird, not to be mean!_

_I liked things I didn't really know about. I liked to study stuff, especially stuff we don't know about. I could be famous someday for solving some kind of really old puzzle, or find some really old treasure from some kind of map nobody but I could read! My dad thought otherwise, though... He wanted me to be an explorer and I had to be strong. What good is an explorer without places to explore? Someone had to figure out the really tough to figure out stuff!_

_Anyway... Where was Canderack from, anyway? Were there other Pokemon there? Were there more of his kind? What if he's actually a mythical pokemon nobody's heard of before? What if he's one from where he's from! Oh boy, this was getting me excited!_

_What if he didn't really have a name, and Canderack was just his species? If that was true, how many Canderacks were there? Were they all outlaw-types like him? Did they have dungeons where he was from? This is all new to me, I'm getting so giddy about it! In fact, I got so excited over my thoughts that Xiva and I made our way into Treasure Town and I barely even noticed._

"We're here!", Xiva announced to me, snapping me back to our world.

"Oh! Sorry. I was just thinking about things.", I said.

_I never really got used to this place, it was much warmer than I was used to. Don't get me wrong, I liked to be warm. To tell you the truth, Ice-types tend to have a sorta thing where they think they're tough to stay out in colder places. We can really stand it and live in it and run around and play like it was a normal day, but it never really beat being in a warmer place. Not a desert, that's too hot, but someplace that wasn't as cold._

_We went into the main marketplace where everyone was. Business actually seemed okay, people weren't in a panic. Misters Kecleon were selling their goods, Grandma Kangaskhan was running the storage just fine, Electivire was getting little business as usual other than to remember moves, his only free service... That whole thing._

_One thing that got my attention was some gossip from a Murkrow, talking to her Shuppet partner._

"Hey, did you hear? The Venom Bandit snuck out of the Guild's prison overnight!"

_Canderack got IMPRISONED?_

_... He __**SNUCK OUT!**_

_I quickly went over to them, I needed to get the whole scoop._

"The Venom Bandit got captured?", I asked.

"Mhm. He did. Siev brought him in last morning. He suffocated him into unconciousness.", Shuppet answered.

"But that's not all! He snuck out from the Guild's watch overnight, and even then they have people awake and alert at the time!", Murkrow added.

_Xiva put a hand to her chin, thinking._

"I've been to the guild before. They rely on ladders to get around, don't they?", she asked.

"Yep! Shuppet and I are explorers, we should know! We don't need to use them, since we can fly and float!", Murkrow replied.

"How could the Venom Bandit escape from there? He'd have to go up ladders, and from what I've seen of him, he has no arms and his legs aren't fit to go up the ladders!", I said.

_Murkrow flapped her wings, excitedly._

"That's the thing everyone's talking about! He was tied up, too! He couldn't budge at all! Just disappeared!"

"Disappeared...? He wasn't an explorer by any chance, was he?", Xiva asked.

"No way. Never seen him in the guild before, never even seen what he looked like until he was captured. I went to look myself. He was... not around here, I could tell." Shuppet answered.

_How could he just up and escape? Did he have even more mysterious powers than I thought? What if he could just teleport? That'd prove he might've been a mythical pokemon...!_

"Team Syndicate can't help with the issue, they don't even know. They're off hunting a mystery thief that's been identified as a Gardevoir. No signs of her since this one Gallade went out and never came back. Crafty one, I bet.", Shuppet continued.

"Oh, my. That must be quite the issue!", Xiva said.

"A mystery thief is more important than the Venom Bandit?", I asked.

"No, no! The Venom Bandit is more important! They just thought he'd be bagged for good while they were out! They just don't know this has happened yet!", Murkrow nearly shouted.

"Well... Um. Thanks for the info, I guess." I... awkwardly said, trying to end our exchange.

"Yeah. See you.", Shuppet said.

_Xiva and I walked away, before Murkrow and Shuppet started bickering about the Lost Loot and the Secret Slab._

_We asked around town to see if anyone saw Canderack (while referring to him as the 'Venom Bandit', just in case people might've gotten suspicious or something), but nothing turned up. He just vanished into thin air... From where we spent the night, and from a prison!_

_I didn't know what to really do... Wait! What if someone in town knew a lot about Pokemon myths and legends? Maybe I could get some info about Canderack that way! Once again, I asked around. I was pointed to the hot springs by everyone I asked, and I was to refer to Torkoal, the town's elder. Xiva agreed to come with me when I asked her to, and we got some directions to the spring, and we were off._

_Maybe this would shed a little light on what happened with him, and just exactly who... or WHAT, he was._

"You worry a lot about a criminal, Turv.", Xiva commented, as we walked.

"He saved me from my dad! If you'd seen what was happening, you'd think he wasn't as bad as anyone else, too!", I returned.

"Sure, sure. Let's go with that."

"Plus, nobody has even seen what he is before, anyway! What if he's some sort of mythical pokemon, or one that comes from another world, or he's some kind of ancient Pokemon that only recently came up? This is big!"

"... You actually have a point there, Turv."

"And that's why we're going to see Torkoal! He might know something about all this that nobody else does!"

_After that talk was over, we were pretty quiet on our way to the hot springs. I had a lot of things racing through my head at the time, I lost track of time until we got there._

_The springs were really warm and steamy. Pokemon were resting in it, especially the ones that did a lot of fighting or work, moving stuff around and all that. I saw Torkoal on a dry spot across from it, and I circled around to see him. Xiva just floated across the water as if it were solid ground... I wanted to float! That's no fair!_

_I got over to Torkoal._

"Excuse me, um... You're Torkoal, Treasure Town's elder, right?", I asked, a little nervous.

_I didn't want to offend him..._

_He looked up to me. He seemed tired, but maybe that was just because he was old?_

"Oh, hello there, youngster. Yes, I'm the elder. Do you need something?", he asked me.

_He spoke a little slowly, but I think that was just his age showing. I was patient about it, though._

"You know a lot about old myths and legends, right? About Pokemon that're only rumored to exist?", I asked.

"Why yes, I do... I haven't gotten a chance to tell a story to someone young like you in a long time. I know plenty about the old Pokemon. My memory just isn't what it used to be, though...", he responded.

"Do you know anything about a Pokemon with a big red shell, soft and black underside, horns, and yellow eyes? A bug type, that walked on four legs?", I asked, a little excited.

_He looked up towards the sky._

"Hmm... Give me a moment, I need to jog my memory."

_I looked over at Xiva. She was floating there, silently. Did she really talk to other Pokemon much? Did she even like to?_

"Oh... I'm sorry, young one. I don't recall anything about something like that. Are you sure you were told the right things about it?", he asked.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about, but... You don't know. Sorry to have taken your time, Mister Torkoal.", I apologized.

_He smiled a bit._

"It's alright. I like that you came to try and learn something from someone old like me. It makes me happy that there are young Pokemon today who like to know about history.", he chimed.

_I must've made his day. That felt a little bit good to me... He probably isn't visited much. I ought to go learn more from him when we found Canderack, and all this outlaw business was over._

_I bowed._

"You're welcome. My friend and I should be going, then. We don't mean to take up your time.", I said.

"No, no... You're welcome to come back any time. Enjoy the water if you feel tense. You'll feel better.", he returned.

"I'll keep that in mind."

_I gestured to Xiva that we were leaving. She hadn't said a word. She just... listened. When we were out of earshot, she started to talk to me._

"We haven't really found out much about where he is. Let's go back home and get some rest, I'll ask my mom if she knows anything about this. You've done a good job, even if it didn't get much."

_Well, that was nice of her to say so. But it didn't mean much to me, Canderack was still out there, and he might be out robbing Pokemon..._

"Okay. Let's go."

_It took us a while to get back, but we got back to Xiva's under-the-snow home. She went through another cloth door leading to some other tunnels, telling me to stay behind and not follow. I listened to her, and... All I can do now is just sit here, and wait._

_... And have a little bit of her tea._

_Her tea was pretty good, I tell you._

_I'm still teased by how little I know about how Canderack got here, and what exactly his coming here means. You don't learn a lesson overnight, I guess..._

_It'll just take time._


	12. ITurvI The Attack

Antivenom

Chapter XII

"The Attack"

_So I just sat here in Xiva's one-room home, by the tea table. They were really small, I'll tell you. It's part of our culture, though: We used as little as we could when it came to making things from our environment, because there weren't that many trees outside of dungeons, and ones in dungeons just wouldn't be taken down._

_The same holds true back on my home: Blizzard Island. I come from Winterton, it's sort-of like Treasure Town, but not so much. We don't live by the sea, we live near a couple of dungeons which is where we get our resources. Not that Treasure Town isn't close to any dungeons. We have an explorer's guild too, run by Glalie. There were far less explorers in our town, it wasn't as hustle-and-bustle like Treasure Town._

_Though we did have Mister Kecleon in town, and he liked our business. He was our main source of goods from outside Blizzard Island, mostly for special unique items for Pokemon. I never had one before, usually only the explorers could afford them because they were the ones who got deeper into the dungeons. Normal Pokemon like me only went in a floor or two before going back out with what we got. Nothing bad really happened to our town... We believed in the legendary bird of ice, Articuno, protected us. Nobody has ever seen him... or her, before. It'd be pretty cool to meet him... or her._

_I felt a little homesick now. Xiva had her home on the mainland, they had some snowy spots here and there. I half-wanted to go home, we made tea back home too. We had pretty colors when we made our houses, kind-of like Xiva and her floral-patterned cloth hangings. The color made things stick out, because snow was usually white. I wonder if she used to live in Winterton? Did she move here to get away from our quiet life? Was she really more interested in a bigger town like Treasure Town? We were a really tight-knit community... That's mostly why MIster Kecleon stayed._

_Sometimes explorers from other towns would come by, but they were usually Treasure Townies when they were. If not, they usually came from somewhere Fire-types liked to be, and they were fire-types themselves. They were usually nice Pokemon, sometimes traded stuff with us. We liked imported food, since most of ours were cool-flavored. I sometimes liked to have a spicy berry or two when they came around._

_Oh, look at me go, thinking about things that weren't important right now... I had to find Canderack. It was taking Xiva a long time to talk to her mom... Or if she was even where she thought she was. I'm getting a bit impatient... What was going on? What was taking so long?_

_I had a bit more tea. It helped me calm down a bit. Maybe I ought to relax some; we'd figure out what to do... Sometime. I guess._

_Then there was a loud crash coming from the pit we had fallen down to get here. Did someone else find it so soon...? I got a little worried. What if it was some sort of thief, or outlaw who might make this place their hideout? I'm not much of a fighter... Oh no..._

_I saw the shadow coming towards this room. Who is it?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_It's... It's Canderack!_

_But something's not right._

_His eyes are purple... He looks really angry, too._

"Where were you? What's going-", I managed to get out.

_Until he Megahorned me across the room into the wall. It hurt really, REALLY bad. Being part grass-type..._

_He looked around the room, like he lost something, before going down the same pathway Xiva went down. He went as fast as he could go... I slid down from the wall. I ached all over, I whimpered from the agony... I didn't really want to move, it'd probably hurt to._

_I heard screaming and shouting echoing from down the hallway... It gave me the creeps. Was he attacking Xiva, too? This isn't good... Why is he attacking us out of the blue?_

_He came back out, carrying an unconcious Mismagius in his mouth. Who was that? I didn't make any noise and faked being knocked out. He didn't notice me, so I must've been doing it right. He went right out the way Xiva and I did... Just like that. In a few minutes, he took out everyone._

_Who was the Mismagius? Why did Canderack want her?_

_Ugh... This hurt..._

_I passed out. I couldn't take it._

_I woke up to Xiva shaking me, and she gave me some tea. I quickly started to feel better, and before I could even ask anything, she started to tell me the news._

"Canderack's kidnapped my mother! I knew we couldn't trust him, he's gone berserk!", she nearly cried.

"... That was your mom!", I asked, a bit bewildered. How could that be? Baby pokemon were always the species of their mother...

"I'm adopted, Turv. That's why.", she said, flatly.

_... I felt like I just got punched in the heart. How could I be so insensitive? Ohhh..._

"That's not important, though. We have to chase after him and get her back! It's very important he doesn't get away!", she continued, hurriedly.

_I shook my head. Ugh... I'm still sore from just ONE attack from him. How could I stand up to him, being the wimp I am...? What could Xiva do? What could WE do?_

_... We needed to find where he was hiding at, and get the authorities to help. He could take on a few of us, but not an army. Or a small army. Whichever works._

_I nodded._

"Okay, let's go...! Wherever we should go!", I said, a bit nervous.

"Alright. I just have absolutely NO idea where he could've gone, except my mother left a hint as to where. Er, SOMEONE who might know where. He knows a lot about locations and things that go on.", she said.

"Who would that be?", I asked.

_She looked off to the side._

"He's an outlaw, too. He's a Shiftry. His name's Garturunk, and he has eyes and ears everywhere. It's how he manages to get the drop on a lot of passersby."

_More outlaws...! Why is it that everything that's important right now has to be an outlaw, or outlaw-related? I'm getting a bit tired of it... I want to study some history! Or find some old ruins to study, or..._

"I'll get some things that we could trade with him for the information, but I don't know if he'll tell the truth, if he'll tell us anything at all.", she added.

_I sat down by the wall I was stuck into, a little... defeated. We're not going to find him. We're going to get robbed and we're gonna end up with nothing. Maybe I should just let it go... He's nothing but trouble. He must've just taken pity on me right there, then used the knowledge he got by coming here to... kidnap someone. But why Xiva's mother? What did she have to do with him? She never even MET him... He never met her!_

"Right. We should head to Midnight Forest, that's where he's supposed to have the biggest influence.", Xiva said, after finishing preparing.

_I got up._

"Alright... I'll see if I can help if we ever have to fight. I'm not very good at it...", I remarked.

"Shush, Turv. You can just use your Snow Warning ability to call up a blinding blizzard. We could sneak away under that cover if things go south.", she said.

_Not a bad idea... That was certainly better than risking getting hurt._

_I nodded, and we went out. It was going to be a long trip to get there. I can only wonder now: What does this all really mean? Is something behind all of these happenings? Who, or what is it? Could it be some sort of mythical Pokémon's will?_

_I had to ask now. What did Xiva REALLY know about all of this? She must've been hiding something..._

"Hey, Xiva?", I asked.

"What? We still have a long way to go, you can't be tired now!", she returned.

"No, no. I mean... What do you really KNOW about all of this? You've been really hush-hush about it all. You went off all alone to talk to your mom about this, and now she's been kidnapped by the guy we're looking for!", I said, driving into the topic as best I could.

"Turv... Is this really your business?"

"Xiva, he got me away from-"

"Your dad, yeah, yeah. You've told me that already."

"I brought him to you, and he didn't do anything mean! He even might've liked you!"

_Then she blushed a bit, looking to the side._

"Turv, he's an outlaw, a brute, and a kidnapper. He couldn't like me."

"I don't know..."

"Turv, even if he DID like me, I don't like him! He hasn't done a thing to make up for what he's done!"

"Okay, if that's not it, what's the deal with you being quiet about it all?"

_Xiva sighed._

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you."

_Finally! What I've been waiting for!_

"My mother is the Snow Witch. She knows techinques that all other Pokémon do not. She's been teaching me to pass it on to my kids when she passes on. She's had other students before, but they all quit before they could even be considered graduates. Except for one... Years ago."

"Uh huh...?", I said, to show that I was listening.

"His name was Krausmer. We never knew he was wicked until it was too late, and he had gone and hidden himself away to practice what he knew. All the rituals and tricks he was taught, he most likely was perfecting. He was, and most likely still is, a power-hungry despot who plans to make the world his. He never showed any signs of being successful with his practices until about a month ago."

"That was when Canderack started becoming known as the Venom Bandit, right?"

"Yes. Krausmer must've managed to summon a Pokémon- or outright alien being- into our world, from another world. He had to get something powerful to control for his own ends. I still don't know what he wants to obtain, we just know he needs a scapegoat. The only reason this isn't a world-wide fact is that most everyone would blow this off as a wild story."

"So... Canderack's arrival has threatened the world? Could the world get destroyed?"

"No. Krausmer is a despot, not a destroyer. Once he has gotten what he wants, he'll most likely be able to crush whatever resistance there is under his iron fist. This is why we have to find Canderack; so we can find Krausmer and stop him."

_This was a lot to take in. Canderack really WAS from another world, and he's also heralding the downfall of our comfortable lives with his arrival? It's all so grim and apocalyptic... We'll free him, somehow... I hope. And stop this 'Krausmer' guy from finishing whatever it is he's trying to do._

"Are you satisfied now, Turv? You know what I know. My mother probably knows more, but we both know she's been stolen away."

"Yeah. I get you. We just need to find Garturunk to get the information we need to find her, and Krausmer, right?"

"Yes, Turv. I didn't forget. We don't need to go over this more times than needed."

_It actually started to get dark by the time we got to Midnight Forest. What a coincidence in both time of day AND the name of the dungeon..._

_Once we were inside, we started to make our way through. Xiva dealt with most of them, I just used Powder Snow or used Snow Warning to help us get out of tight spots. Eventually we started to get followed by voices we couldn't follow, and whooshing sounds of leaves. I was getting scared... The closer we got to the end, the more these sounds occurred. Xiva seemed nervous, too._

_We got to the bottom; and we DID see a Shiftry. This must've been him!_

_I really wanted to run away... Outlaws scare me._

"Hey! You're Garturunk, the boss of a big band of outlaws, right?", Xiva called out.

_She's bold... I'm kinda envious of her. I wish I was that brave._

"Yeah, yeah. You found me. Now, we kin' do this the easy way, or th' hard way.", he said, turning around.

"We're not here to bring you in. We want information.", Xiva returned.

_Garturunk was a little surprised, I think._

"Really? WELL! I -AM- the one who gets all th' news around the world, 'coz of all my Nuzleaf buddies going around and getting info and scoutin' out...", he said.

"Have you gotten any information as to where the Venom Bandit has gone? He kidnapped someone, and we want to find him.", Xiva continued.

"Ohhh! You wanna find the BIG guy, huh? Sure, I could probably tell ya... It's gonna cost ya, though."

_As if on cue, Xiva produced some of the flowered tapestries from a Winterton explorer's pack. I knew she had something to do with Blizzard Island...!_

"Floral tapestries made all the way in Blizzard Island. These are valuable foreign goods you could trade for a lot of Poké."

_He eyed them very widely. It's almost as if greed took the breath out of him._

"Okay, okay. You got a deal, but you gotta NOT say this ever happened. Else you're not gonna have a good time, got it?"

_Xiva nodded. I did, too._

"GOOD!"

_He leapt off into the trees for a bit. We waited for a few minutes. I sat down, thinking to myself for a bit about small things. He soon came back._

"Okay, first, you gimme those bits o' cloth."

_Xiva handed over the tapestries._

"Thanks, lady. Now, y'see, the big guy's gone with some Mismagius to Ghost Tower on the southern peninsula, past the World Abyss. Scary place in the World Abyss, so you better not fall in! 'Coz you don't know if you'll get out or not..."

_Xiva nodded._

"Thank you. We'll be on our way.", Xiva concluded.

"You better stay quiet 'bout all this!", Garturunk shouted.

"We will, we will!", I said.

_And off we went. Ghost tower was all the way across the mainland... It'd take at least a day to get there! We'll probably be too late! I think..._

_I hope we won't be. We need to save Canderack, and Xiva's mother._

_I hope..._

_I hope they're okay._


	13. IKrausmerI The next step

Antivenom

Chapter XIII

"The next step"

_Yes... All was coming together as planned. It took some time, but it was going as I had plotted. There are few obstacles left in my path to fully executing my masterful ploy... I shall bring peace to this world, whether these lazy-lifes enjoy it or not. I shall crush all of my opposition, and become a living myth!_

_It all started in my days of weakness. No-one suspects those who have little power to be plotting against them. Especially not those who've already met their end. Though I must credit my encounter with the Snow Witch as a stroke of pure luck; yet I managed to convince that weak-minded hag that I was to be trustworthy with such dark secrets. They who live in this world are too trusting. It sickens me!_

_I shall do something about that, soon. Very, very soon._

_I merely had to wait for the beast I had called forth to bring to me the witch, and to coax the secret of how to open a dungeon that has been long closed since Team Syndicate's victory over Darkrai, whose ideals were to usher in a new era of true peace... A peace of time being stopped forever. I must obtain the knowledge on how to open the Spacial Rift; where Palkia holds dominion. There I can get to the next part of my plan, and ultimately meet my goal, the end of the road, the first moments of a new era of peace:_

_The power over the Void, the true empty space that Palkia has left behind. A destructive force, yet also a place... A place that exists nowhere. A realm that isn't. Something that is nothing._

_These fools cannot comprehend the concept of the Void; only I. Once I obtain this power, I shall begin to make my way to my next goal: Bring true peace to this colorful world. I shall turn it gray, and force it's inhabitants to bow down to me: Lord Krausmer!_

_I merely had to wait. All I must do is wait, then I shall get the information I desire. Nobody knows about my true plan... Nobody that understands that they shall be loyal to me, and shall be rewarded when the new era of peace has come. Indeed... I am blessed to have such faithful followers, those who are truly enlightened, the Cult of the Void._

_At first, I was not entirely sure that an otherworldly creature would have been summoned through the sorcery I was taught. However, It has been proven to work perfectly. This beast's next task will be to lead the Cult into the Spacial Rift; and to face Palkia in a futile attempt to claim victory. They will not win. I understand the Dragon of Space's vast might. They are merely a feint attack to weaken it. I shall go at the last to subdue the mighty creature, and claim my rightful reward._

_This was all almost too easy. There was little opposition to begin with. I follow in Darkrai's footsteps, I work behind the eye of all, working towards my goals as quietly as possible, using as many a diversion and distraction as possible. I have both respect and pity for Darkrai; respect in his genius and pity for his defeat, and his banishment into another timeline. I wonder where he could be now... Is he in the future, where I cannot portend how I shall find him, or was he in the past, and he walks among us now still?_

_That would be a flight of fancy. I have work to do._

_Very important work._

_I was getting impatient. The beast was a speedy creature, and yet my Sableye get their work done quicker than this. Not that it matters to me, I was going to dispose of it when the time came._

_... Ah. My Sableye spy. Due with a report, of course..._

_Like a loyal follower, he bowed in my presence._

"Lord Krausmer, the beast is on it's way here with the witch. We're monitoring it so it does not get captured on it's trip here.", the servitor spoke.

"Good, good. Did you take care of the boy, and the witch's daughter?", I inquired.

_He hesitated._

_I've long known my followers. I know they've done something -stupid- when they hesitate in answering me._

"The beast only did as instructed, and took the witch, sire.", he answered.

"Do the boy and girl know that she has been taken?", I inquired once again.

"Y... Yes, sire. I believe they're making their way here as we speak.", he nervously replied.

_This angered me. Imbecilic pawns... They have no initiative!_

"Then stop standing here, rally your men, and STOP THEM! Bring them to me at once! That, IS AN ORDER!", I bellowed.

_My voice echoed through the tower's halls. I found this useful in keeping my followers in line._

_He shook, clearly terrified. That's what I wanted. They respect me, yet they fear me when they do me a dishonor._

"Y-yes my lord! At once!"

_The miserable little thing skittered off as quickly as he could._

_I folded my arms. My leadership remains unquestioned, at least. This was critical, I needed these Pokémon to remain loyal to me, or else the army to battle Palkia would merely be the beast. And a single thing does not an army make._

_I looked out from the archaic window, overviewing my land. It was still a barren landscape; the soil gray and with little nutrition, trees long dead, any greens that might've been growing are either withered or dust. A vast and solemn graveyard... My homeland. What I preferred to call homeland, that is._

_Many Pokémon who die are buried here, and the energies of Ghost Tower raise their souls into Ghost Pokémon. They all have a story to tell... Ones of love, ones of revenge, ones of desire, ones... of betrayal. In my new world of peace, I will bring all of these fallen Pokémon back as Ghost-types, so they may fulfill the dreams they had, in a new world order. Ghost Tower shall become the new home for ghosts, a hub of trade and commerce, of joy and lavish entertainment... A haven for ghosts, for eternity._

_The ones who live shall not stay here. They shall all wither away like the plantlife, and join the soil... And be raised as ghosts to live once again in a paradise for the rest of their existences._

_This very thought of all the Pokémon in the world being happy, made -me- happy. So happy, that I laughed. I laughed at the promised land I would bring. A beautiful, dead land- Dead as I. Dead as my followers. Dead... as the world will soon be._

_I laughed loudly, in my own joy. My dream._

_None of the living ones shall oppose me. Neither shall the witch. She will talk, I will make sure she does._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Ah, I hear the sound of the beast's great weight coming, tromping up the stairwell. I overheard a feminine voice as well, a sound I knew that would be associated with futile attempts to resist._

_The beast entered the room, holding her in it's mouth. I grinned as she saw me. My triumphs were adding up, one by one._

"I've finally got you, Gwendalyn. You've nowhere to run. You know what I want, don't make this harder on yourself. Give me the secrets to opening the Spacial Rift, and you will be spared and allowed to live within the new paradise.", I commanded.

"I don't have any interest in your 'new world order'! You're a power-hungry cretin that is manipulating others into doing his bidding so he may conquer the world!", she remarked.

"Rhuhahaaaah! Your insolence will only cause you to suffer. I shall make you talk; one way, or another.", I replied, confident.

"Do your worst. I'll never surrender to you!", she told me, defiantly.

"Very well. I shall be back soon, your secrets will be known to me, eventually.", I returned.

_As I left, I called for one of my Gengar servants. A male one. I left him to use Attract on her until her tongue loosened and told him the secrets to opening Spacial Rift. It was only a matter of time until I once again triumphed._

_I left the room with a bellowing laugh._

_I only had to wait._

_I returned to my personal quarters, covered in tomes and literatures from olden times that I had my followers retrieve for me. Many told me old, forgotten secrets of powers never even known today. Their value is beyond material items, knowledge is forever a power of it's own. Those who know most shall be king._

_I had the knowledge._

_I would be king._

_... Wait._

_A thought just struck me._

_Yes... That will do nicely. When the boy and girl are brought here, I'll make sure they're ALL brainwashed to follow my orders, along with Gwendalyn. Haha! They'll be pawns put to use to battle Palkia, as well! My plan will succeed. The only element that will get in my way is time, and I cannot manipulate that. I have the patience... It will come to fruition._

_I decided to pass the time reading some scriptures I hadn't gotten to yet. A well of knowledge is what the past is. Knowledge for my benefit._

_Soon, this life-filled world will be in the past, and a lesson to be learned later. World peace cannot be brought with differences. Only when all are alike, we shall be in a true form of peace... Peace, for eternity._

_The time passed, and my Gengar follower came to me in my personal quarters. He relinquished the information unto me. Yes... The very information I wanted!_

_I had to prepare the spells. Spells strong enough to tear open space near the eastern sea. That is where space is easiest torn, so I will require less effort to tear open the rift. I properly thanked my servitor, and he was off. I needed to go over my tomes to find the most potent sources of magical power in runeworks and incantations._

_I had Gwendalyn imprisoned in a constantly-monitored prison chamber, to make sure she did not escape. The Tower's walls are made specifically to not allow Ghost-types to pass through, so that would not be a manner of fleeing._

_Yes... I needed to move on. I must get back to studying the runes._

_The power of the Void shall soon be MINE!_


	14. ITurvI Cold Pangs

Antivenom

Chapter XIV

"Cold Pangs"

_We've been walking for hours. I wasn't built for this. I'm quickly losing my enthusiasm for going to Ghost Tower. I have a lot of bad feelings going on in my head... What if we don't make it back? What if we're captured and tortured? I don't know if I want to do this anymore!_

_I want to go home..._

_I want to rest at my home in Winterton. It's nice and cold there... I don't want to be in this temperate climate much longer. I feel like my ice-type moves are losing effectiveness... Not that I even used them for anything lately. I just... I keep asking myself:_

_Is this all really worth it?_

_Is Canderack actually someone worth saving? What if he just wanted my sympathy so he could get some food and things to steal?_

_What am I going to do after all of this? My father is going to kill me if he sees me again... I'll have to join a rescue team to escape him, and that's what he's wanted me to do all this time._

_Is Xiva taking this any more well than me? She's older and more mature..._

_What's going to happen to us? Aaaagh, I don't know if I can take the suspense anymore!_

_We kept walking. Across plains and through woods, over hills and around dangerous characters. We took a break every now and then to eat and so I could rest my legs. Does Xiva get tired floating around all over the place? Is that like walking to her? I'll have to ask later._

_It was starting to become dusk. We were taking too long! We couldn't make it by today... We had just made it to the peninsula, though. Xiva and I set up camp again. We'd make it to Ghost Tower by tomorrow, definitely. We made a small fire out of some nearby tree branches (though I objected to that a little), and rested by it. I didn't sit too close, I wasn't particularly fond of fire._

_Xiva and I barely spoke today. I thought I'd open up a little bit to keep social._

"Hey Xiva?", I asked.

"What?"

"Do you ever feel like you just want to give up and go home?"

"Yeah Turv. I do. Especially with most of today."

"Do you think we even stand a chance of getting her back?"

"I don't know. I hope we do, but it's just the two of us against... I don't know how many of them."

_I sighed._

"Things are kinda bleak, huh...?"

"Mhm. Ever since Krausmer managed to summon the Venom Bandit-"

"He has a name!"

"You know what? I don't -care- about that stupid bug's name! First he gets summoned to our world and robs people rather than try to be friendly, then he saves you from your crazy dad for Arceus-knows-why, and now he's gotten himself brainwashed by Krausmer and stole my only family! Would YOU care about that big lug's name if you had to deal with all of that!"

_I was a little awestruck at her outburst. I almost felt like I was going to cry. How could I just be that insensitive and not know it...? She has it tougher than me, maybe..._

_At least her mother isn't a psychopath..._

"At least your family isn't crazy and hurts you for not living up to their standards! He's the closest thing I had to having a friend since forever!"

"He's not your friend, Turv. He's malicious and he's using you."

"How could he know that I knew where to find you? Even if I didn't tell him, I could've just left! I trusted him!"

"Turv, wake up. Outlaws tend to be smart. They will trick you into thinking they're nice Pokémon, then beat you down and steal what you have and run off with it. They act nice because they want to abuse your trust later."

"I don't care if that's what they usually are! He didn't even have a treasure hoard or anything when my dad and I found him there!"

"Hiding is something an outlaw must be good at. He most likely put it somewhere out of sight."

"You're awfully negative, aren't you?"

"You're awfully inexperienced in the world, aren't you?"

_I turned my back to her. I was done._

_No wonder she lived alone. She didn't see the bright things in life, even when things are bad. There's always a light in the darkness, isn't there...? Isn't there?_

_I sighed._

"Let's just get some sleep. We'll get there tomorrow."

"Agreed."

_It took me a bit to get to sleep. I wasn't really in a tired mood... Just fired up and angry. I was still mad at Xiva for... for..._

_For being insensitive! A hypocrite!_

_I slowly fell asleep. I welcomed it with closed lids._

_I had a wonderful dream; I was enjoying the recognition I had always desired as a researcher on the mysteries behind the dungeons of the world and how they came to be. I was being hailed as someone with true knowledge, and that I'd continue my studies to further provide understanding to the world. The Guildmasters all came about and congradulated me for my accomplishment... Mmm. I was loving this attention. I felt appreciated._

_Something tugged at the back of my mind, though. Something felt... off. I didn't really notice anything much, until I started to see the various cheering Pokémon vanish in puffs of smoke. One by one, more and more quickly they started to disappear before my very eyes. I was both worried and curious, why was this happening?_

_Everything went silent. Everyone was gone, except for me. Nobody else was around. The town seemed awfully vacant..._

_Then, out of nowhere, a Dusknoir donning a black cape came before me. His scowl was intimidating, and his voice deep. A leader of outlaws, maybe?_

"This is as far as you shall go.", he begun.

"Who are you? What're you doing here?", I hesitantly asked.

"Rhuuu-hah-hah! You are bold to question me, little worm. However, I shall indulge you: I am Lord Krausmer, the keeper of Ghost Tower."

_I stepped back._

"You're the... the...!", I stuttered.

"The one who has found you, meddler. You have never been 'safe' from me. Your quest to save your precious 'friend' is futile and idiotic; he is MY servant now. You have no control over the situation, neither does your friend.", he continued.

"No! Let him go! Or... or..."

"Or what? You act as if you can actually threaten -me-. Amusing."

"Just what are you after! Summoning Canderack here, kidnapping Xiva's mom, and... and... What's this all FOR?"

"Rhuuuu-ha-ha-ha-haaaah! AaaaaahAAAAAAAHaahaaah!", he bellowed in laughter.

"What's so funny!"

"Imbecile. You expect me to reveal to you my plans? Are you truly THIS daft? If the criminals of the world reveal their schemes to you before you even fight them, they are incompetent. You shall know nothing of my plans... Until they are completed."

"You won't get away with this! We'll stop you...!", I defiantly told him.

_Hopefully we could stop him... I'm nervous just looking at him! He gives me the creeps!_

"Hm-hm-hm. Your optimism is commendable, but a wasted effort. However, know this: You were falling for a diversion. I've been keeping you asleep so my agents could ambush you. They are just now upon you bo-", he spoke.

_At least... until everything went dark._

_I had lost conciousness._

(Perspective swap)

_Something wasn't right... Back when I touched the cell bars of the Venom Bandit's prison, the Dimensional Scream resurged to life after the years. I had seen it: The future in ruins. All of the green and colorful plant life of the world has withered and died off. Pokémon were living in tiny bands trying to get by... Ghost-types were attacking anyone they could find, and hauling them off to a dungeon in the southern peninsula. Possibly the World Abyss._

_I haven't seen this kind of catastrophe since Lucario and I had gone to the future earlier in our career. Time was stopped then... It was a terrible, terrible place. Now that I think about it, I hope Grovyle's alright._

_Not the point._

_After that, we had gone along with Cresselia to defeat Darkrai, who was behind all of this. The reason I had come from the future to the past with Grovyle to stop the freezing of time. It was a tough battle with him and his cronies, but we had managed to overcome them. Palkia had banished him somewhere in the timestream, similar to my own fate. I feel a bit sorry for him... If he lost his memory, what if he had started a new path, one free of malicious intent and benevolence to others?_

_I digress. This is urgent, but Lucario told me that it's over. I'm just having visions of the old future again... Maybe just some flashbacks. This couldn't be flashbacks. The arrival of the Venom Bandit was some sort of message. I had never seen any Pokémon like him before. He didn't even speak when I tried to say something to him. I heard rumors he was a threatening brute, but he was quiet. He only spoke through guttural sounds._

_Then he disappeared overnight. He couldn't have escaped just like that. Something was up._

_I have to find out what's happening, the future is at stake again!_

_The future... My home. The home I destroyed to protect for everyone else._

_I sighed. It hurt a little to think that I had gotten rid of a whole world to protect the one here, one that I didn't belong in. You have to get over it though, I guess._

_I turned over on my bed at Lucario's house in Sharpedo Bluff. The sound of the waves were a calming sound. After a day's exercise and exhaustion from bagging a few criminals, it was quite a lullaby to get us to bed for the next day of work. I wondered when criminals would stop cropping up with an elite team like us around. We inspired all sorts of younger members, and our old pals back at the guild. Occassionally we took missions that involved the other towns around the world, but those were few and far between and we mostly got non-essential goods that were useful in sprucing up your place to stay._

_Ugh... I need to stay focused! Alright, I know what to do. Tomorrow, I'm going to go to the southern peninsula. With a little investigation, I might find out more about what's heralding our bleak future._

_Yet... What does the Venom Bandit have to do with it?_

_I'll have to find out._


	15. IKrausmerI Checkmate

Antivenom

Chapter XV

"Checkmate. Now for the next game."

_Mm-hm-hm. Pitiful fools, thinking they could interfere with my plotting. They'll be brought to me before long, and I'll have two more soldiers in my army._

_I smiled._

_Every moment I drew ever closer to my goal. I must reach it... I want it now!_

_Though I must be patient. Good things come to those who wait._

_I folded my arms. I've been patient so far... It grows more agonizing to wait the closer I get to accomplishing the first half of my vision._

_However... I wonder._

_What will I do, once I've finally accomplished everything?_

_Where shall I go?_

_Hm... I need to dwell on this. I need to plan further ahead._

_I rested myself against the wall._

_I can see it now. The grandeur of the opening of Spacial Rift... I see myself going in at the back of my forces, and the grand Dragon of Space's eventual defeat._

_Rhuu-ha-ha!_

_This is too grand to be true!_

_I kept imagining how the battle would turn out, until Gwendalyn's daughter and some Snover boy were brought before me in my main hall._

_Thank Arceus I have such reliable Sableye servitors..._

"You may leave us now," I told my minions.

"Kekeke! As you wish!", the replied to me before they scuttled away.

_The two meddlers were tied. They wouldn't be doing anything stupid in my presence._

"Krausmer! Where is she!", her daughter asked.

"In a comfortable cell under constant watch. However, I'll be brief. I have a use for all three of you," I answered.

"Wh... What are you gonna do to us...?", the Snover boy timidly asked.

"I won't tell you. I'll -show- you!", I bellowed, as I had begun to use my brainwashing charms.

_To be absolutely straightforward, it worked._

_They bowed to me. I had them untied and sent to be stationed with the rest of the men. All I had to do now was repeat this with Gwendalyn, and then we would be on the move. The tearing of space will commence!_

_I went up through the tower until I had reached her holding cell. I grinned, taking part in a little bit of silent gloating as she glared at me through the bars._

"So, Gwendalyn. It's time I made use of you," I told her.

"Do your worst. You'll be stopped!", she replied.

_Defiant to the end..._

_Amiable, but stupid._

"Your enthusiasm to rebel has come to an end. You, along with your daughter and some completely random Snover shall be assisting in the attack on Palkia," I said.

_The look on her face changed to that of worry and shock._

_I must've struck a nerve._

"Wha... What did you do to Xiva? What did you do to Turv!"

_I grinned even more widely. This was rich._

"I made them mindless servants, just like the beast."

"You MONSTER!"

"Enough banter. You're next."

_I once again worked the charm. It took a bit of time though, as she knew some counteractive spells as well. Despite that, I had her under my will as well._

_I let her out, and followed her to the rest of the army._

_Siev approached me._

"My lord. The troopssss are ready to move at any time."

"Good, good. We will all no longer wait. We shall make our move now."

_I rose up somewhat, and called all of my servitors to attention._

"The time is now! We no longer wait to make our advance! Let us go to the eastern sea to begin the ritual for tearing open space!"

_They gave me the cheering and applause deserving of a beloved leader such as myself._

_As soon as that was over, we had begun our move. Following the plan, we were doing this early in the morning so we wouldn't attract attention. It would still take time to get all of the troops there and for me to finish the ritual._

_Time is not particularly on our side here. I should've thought this through and waited until night where it'd be both hard to see and the other Pokémon asleep._

_Curse my impatience... But I couldn't go back now. I must finish what I have started._

_I contemplated where I would start once I had acquired the power of the Void. Maybe that quaint little Treasure Town that's oh-so-popular? It's a bastion of explorers and commerce. If I bring that down, the others will most likely submit to my will out of fear of being demolished like they were, but much more harshly._

_I smiled again. I like entertaining these thoughts in my mind... They were so close to becoming true._

_Given about half an hour, and we made it to the large, clear eastern coast. Without hesitation I had begun to draw the runes and unite them within a circle, and continued to create smaller circles within it. This needed a lot of careful work, work only I could do._

_My servitors were quietly talking to eachother on various topics from simply being hungry to how spectacular the opening of the Spacial Rift would be._

_Indeed... I wonder too. What WILL it look like?_

_It'll be memorable, to say the least._

_The battle even moreso._

_I finished the last central rune, and carefully positioned myself at the center. I quietly started to mutter the incantation, as the circles started to glow with power in sequence from the outermost ring to the central rune._

_I could -feel- the power emanating from this. I had never casted a spell this powerful before...! I couldn't help but feel awed and... slightly afraid of the power I was trying to wield. It still felt amazing, either way._

_Lightning crackled._

_The ground shook._

_The air became stale._

_Over the water, a black cut in the very air itself had taken form. Electricity crackled and sparked as it slowly widened, taking on a crudely torn-open shape. I could see into the abysses of it all... It seemed to resemble the very world I planned to create. Dank, gray, lifeless..._

_I almost feel as if I'm expanding upon this._

_I rallied the men, and we got inside. It pulled us in as we drew close, and were launched into the depths of it. I had already figured it to be a dungeon. We wouldn't have too much trouble, we were too numerous to be brought down by any third parties inside. My servitors took most of the fighting, the Beast needed to keep his strength up to fight Palkia at top performance._

_There were more and more pits as we had continued down. Everyone took care not to fall, we had no idea how deep they were. It was ominous in this place. I almost wanted to leave as soon as possible._

_Then again, that was our goal in the first place. Go in, defeat Palkia quickly, and get out._

_After a bit more time, we approached a large room. I felt it in my stomach... This was where the Dragon of Space took quarters._

_I called for the men to remain quiet. If the dragon was asleep, we'd have the element of surprise. I had a couple of Sableye go inside and investigate._

_We were all a bit pensive. I myself shouldn't be, but the moment is still a very changing thing. If we claim victory, all is well. If we lose..._

_... I don't know what to think._

_However, reports were good. The dragon was asleep._

_I grinned as widely as my face could even allow me to._

_The next few minutes were nothing but quiet shuffling around. We were all poised to spring upon the dragon at any moment I gave the signal. The beast stayed behind, of course._

_Then I raised up a hand, and slapped it down through the air, signalling the men to attack._

_I hid behind a wall just outside the room with the beast, so as to not draw his attention._

_The next few moments were nothing but shouts, laughter, and attacks._

_Then it was all drowned out by the roar of Palkia._

"WHO DARES ENTER MY LAIR, AND HAS THE AUDACITY TO STRIKE -ME-!"

_I didn't watch. All I heard was the battle. I heard shouts of pain, anger, and cackling laughter. A servitor would come flying out of the room every once in a few moments. I heard the battle start to turn down as the noise level lowered._

_That was my cue._

_I sent in the beast. I was curious as to how well it would perform._

_... The dragon had just thrown the last Sableye into the wall before facing it._

"WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS A DISRUPTION OF SPACE ITSELF! YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE!", the dragon bellowed.

_Of course, I hadn't told the beast to speak. It merely started to attack by charging into it with it's horns._

_Surprisingly, it caused the dragon to stagger._

"FOOL! I SHALL DISPOSE OF YOU AS EASILY AS THE OTHERS!"

_It raked at the beast with a Dragon Claw, but it ducked it's head under. It spat some sort of poisonous fluid on it, but I doubt that had much effect. Palkia swatted it aside with his tail._

_Though it got back up. Just as I hoped to expect. Endurance is what it needs to have._

_It curled up and sped towards Palkia, but he merely had to swat him aside with his tail a second time._

_This was getting repetitive..._

_It tried to Megahorn the dragon again, but Palkia was too quick, it seems. It managed to grab it by it's midsection in front of the forelegs, and hoisted it up like he weighed nothing._

_Impressive..._

"PATHETIC MORTAL! I AM MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU COULD EVER HOPE TO BE!"

_Then it spat some of that fluid in it's eyes_

"GRRROOOOOOH! HOW DARE YOU!", Palkia roared, dropping Canderack to the ground.

_Then it curled up, rolled back, then slammed into the dragon. A strong, clean hit._

_Though Palkia quickly got it's vision back._

"NO MORE GAMES! FEEL THE TRUE POWER OF -SPACE-!"

_The very area around the beast seemed to... tear open. As if even right through it!_

_Amazing..._

_I heard it bellow and cry out in anguish. Such a powerful attack...! Fear crawled through my mind and heart... Could I actually win this? I was beginning to doubt my abilities..._

_The beast quickly crumbled to the floor, panting._

"WEAK. JUST BECAUSE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN HAD THE WILLPOWER TO DEFEAT ME DOESN'T MEAN OTHERS COULD! YOUR DETERMINATION WILL NOT CARRY YOU THROUGH THIS TIME!"

_... This was my only chance. It was everything, or nothing._

_I entered the room, clapping slowly._

"Bravo, Palkia. Bravo. You actually are as mighty as I believed you to be."

"ANOTHER? YOU SHALL FALL AS EASILY AS YOUR COMPATRIOTS. YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR ME!"

"In this weakened state? Rhuu-ha-ha! I believe not! Have at you, Dragon!"

_It's injuries were showing. He wasn't at his full strength._

_He lunged forward with a Dragon Claw, but I quickly used my magic to conjure a pentagonal aquamarine barrier._

_Exactly as planned, the force of his attack reverberated back to him and caused him to stagger backwards, turning a bit to keep on his feet._

_Taking this opportunity, I quickly did an overhead two-handed smash onto it's back, forcing it to the ground with a roar._

_I backed away in case it retaliated._

_He got back to his feet, than spewed Dragonbreath at me._

_I waved one arm in front of me, as a purple wind blew and redirected the attack away from me. Taking the opportunity to counterattack, I threw two shadow balls back at him. One he blocked, the other he took to the stomach._

"Is this all you can do, Dragon? I expected more resistance from you!"

"SILENCE!"

_It pounded it's foot into the ground as magma pillars started to burst around me. Earth power..._

_I tried to move, but one of them got me from below, launching me upwards to the empty space above._

_I barely had time to recover before the dragon had launched itself towards me, Dragon Claw readied. I conjured a barrier to stop it, but it didn' t work. The attack punched through as he swiped downwards, spiking me back towards the ground._

_I crashed._

_I rolled to the side as the dragon came thundering down with another strike._

"MORTAL!"

_I can still do this... I must do this! This is for my future! My world!_

_I managed to get up and regain my composure. I had to end this quickly, I couldn't keep this up._

"Very well then! If you TRULY want to see if you're almighty, stay where you are and take this!"

_I opened the mouth on my stomach, and began to collect raw mana power. This would defeat him for sure!_

"HA! YOU EXPECT THIS TO DEFEAT ME? IMBECILE!", Palkia bellowed.

_He had begun to gather Dragonbreath in his mouth. This would most likely decide the battle._

_This is what it comes down to. This last stroke._

"You're MINE, dragon!", I shouted.

"BEGONE!"

_I had discharged the ray, as he spewed his built-up dragonbreath._

_I felt invigorated... exhilirated! This was oh so exciting, even though all the hard work I've done could fail here and now!_

_For a while, we stayed in a sort of see-saw wobble. Neither side gained much ground for long._

_I was beginning to weaken. I couldn't hold this up..._

_I..._

_I must!_

_My plan depends entirely on this moment!_

_I had given my last bit of strength to power my way through._

_To my own surprise, it actually worked. Palkia took the mana ray to his very head._

"Gr... Grrrrroooooooohhh...", he loudly croaked before toppling over.

_I waited for what felt like an age, but only a few moments._

_I knew what I had to do._

"RHUUUU-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAH! AAAAHAAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAH!", I laughed, overjoyed with myself.

_My men were beginning to recover._

_We would rest for now, then drag Palkia out of the rift and extract the power of the Void. I'd do it here, but there isn't any sort of way to create the symbols. I have no claws, and my Sableye are not versed in the magical arts._

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_We finally exitted the rift. The portal was still open, but what did I care? I got what I came for._

_I had begun to draw the circles for the ritual. I was merely inches away from it! INCHES!_

_I kept myself steady, though. I needed to remain patient and draw the runes carefully. This is what was left. I was about to claim the ultimate victory. My success!_

_I drew the circles around the unconcious Dragon of Space. It was the center of the ritual._

_I begun the chant._

"Concedere usque mei..."

_The first ring lit up._

"... Qui est justa..."

_The second._

"... VERUM POTENTIA EX NIHIL!"

_The last ring lit up, as black electricity began to spark around it's unconcious body. The arcs soon came to form into a black orb, floating above his body. It looked like an abyss of stars and nebulae._

_This is it._

_I floated up to it._

_The Void._

_I reached out to grab it, when something caught my attention._

_The Beast was looking at something, and... It's head was twitching violently?_

_What!_

_I'm losing my grip on his will!_

_What is this?_

_... Anger?_

_What? Why?_

_I looked in the general direction the Beast was, and saw..._

_... Some pedestrian Gardevoir, with a Raichu next to-_

_Raichu._

_One of the two head members of Team Syndicate!_

_But the two of them came too late._

_I took the orb, and absorbed it's strength!_

_I cackled victoriously as everything began to seem less tall. Power causes one to grow in stature, it seems..._

_I let go of the beast's restraint. It started to attack the two random pedestrians._

_I ordered all of my servitors to return to Ghost Tower. I also released my three prisoners as well, as a sort of pseudo-reward for being such HELPFUL hands in my plot._

_After enjoying watching the beast attack out of it's feral rage, I grew tired of it. I would dispose of it here and now._

_I grabbed the creature by it's midsection, hoisted it up, and turned my head towards the sea, and conjured a gate to the Void itself._

"You have been such a useful tool, Beast. But now it is time to return you to where you truly belong... In a realm of pure anguish!"

_It seemed to be barking in rage and tried to escape my grasp. It should've known better._

_I violently casted it into the rift and sealed the gate. I turned my attention to the passersby._

"Begone, low mortals. Lest you suffer the same fate as the beast."

_I didn't care to listen to them. They simply fled._

_I began my way towards Ghost Tower. Everything would begin from there._

...

...

...

...

...

(Perspective Swap)

_I tried to damn breathe. I don't even know if there's frickin' air in here._

_Bastard made me do as he wanted! When I get outta here, I'm gonna kick his fat ass so hard he's gonna cry for his momma, and then some! AND THEN SOME!_

_Damn..._

_Where the hell am I? It's like that month and a half ago all over again. I have no idea where I am._

_But this place sucks even more than the last one._

_Am I gonna keep getting thrown into all these suckier places? The hell did I do to deserve this crap?_

_I hated being thrown around like nothing! It makes me pissed off!_

_To top all this crap off, it damn hurts being in here! I feel like I'm getting squashed from all directions, everywhere!_

_AND I DIDN'T GET TO POUND THAT JUNIPER BITCH INTO THE DIRT WHEN I SAW HER!_

_I'm not gonna beat that stupid fatass up._

_I'm gonna KILL HIM, and KILL HIM, AND ARCEUS-DAMNED __**KILL HIM**__!_

_Gggrraaaaaah!_

_I did everything I could to try and get the hell out of here. I moved around, I spat venoshock, I tried to Megahorn, but nothing worked. I was stuck floating in this weird-as-hell place. I couldn't even tell what was going on, I just shut my eyes because it hurt to damn LOOK!_

_Dammit..._

_... Maybe I should just go to sleep, and this is all just some really, REALLY bad nightmare._

_I tried to doze off, but I couldn't. I hurt just a bit too much to fall asleep. What the hell am I supposed to do? I'm gonna damn starve, and run out of water!_

_And I won't even get to go down with a fight!_

_This is stupid!_

_I hate this!_

_I hate fatty!_

_I hate Juniper!_

_I hate my life!_

_I hate everyone, and EVERYTHING!_

_I hate, hate, hate, hate, __**HATE**__ it!_

_I roared as loud as I could because I'm so damned PISSED!_

_Why can't things go my way! What the fuck did I do to make this all happen to me!_

_What'd I do to make my parents be assholes?_

_What'd I do to get put in this stupid-as-hell worlds!_

_WHAT DID I DO TO MAKE EVERYONE HATE ME?_

_Why doesn't anyone just leave me alone!_

_Who would even want to like me, anyway? I'm Arceus-damned fat, ugly, and I can't even talk to people! I'm fuckin' STUPID! Why was I even born! I don't even get a chance at a damn DECENT life!_

_Ow, ow! OW! The pain's going IN me now! Dammit, it's just getting WORSE! It feels really sharp and pointy, too!_

_Dammit, MAKE IT STOP!_

_MAKE IT STOP!_

_PUT ME SOMEWHERE THAT AIN'T HERE!_

_I DON'T WANNA DAMN BE HERE!_

_COME ON!_

_..._

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_Please...?_

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_Wait..._

_I feel like I'm falling. I see all the stars and blackness and stuff, but... I'm supposed to be floating..._

_I felt wind blowing past my back. I turned my head to the side-_

_OH SHIT! I'M FALLING OUT OF THE SK-_

_**CRAAAAAAAAAASH**__!_

**Author's Note**: Holy momma, I haven't updated in a while! Hopefully this one is sufficiently plot-twisting for y'all who're still reading! And those who are? Thanks for reading. You're the best.


	16. ICanderackI Oh look

Antivenom

Chapter XVI

"Oh look. I'm frickin' somewhere else again."

_Agh... Son of a BITCH, this hurts..._

_Just starting to damn come to. Second I hit the ground everything went dark. 'Course, it all hurt when I hit the ground, too._

_... I think I frickin' broke something._

_I groaned, trying to get back up._

_Except my back-right leg gave out. Shit... I really -must've- broke it._

_And it hurts to walk on it. I tried to keep my weight off that leg so it'd hurt less._

_After I stopped giving so much of a crap about what was happening, I decided to check out the area around me._

_Place is pretty._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_... Pretty dead, that is._

_Trees nearby are dead. Grass is all yellow 'n down... Some of it's just dust. What the hell happened? Someone decide to shut off the life switch out here?_

_... Thirsty..._

_I started to limp off in one direction. I had to find water. Water first, that is. I'm frickin' hungry, too. Feel like I haven't eaten for at least two days. When I don't eat, I get grumpy._

_Even more grumpy than I usually am._

_And nobody's gonna like it if I'm more grumpy than I think I need to be._

_At this rate, I'm probably ready to go and tear off the head of the next Caterpie I see, I'm this damn hungry. Eat the whole damn thing. Done it before, doesn't taste that good. Food's food, though. The little things are food for the big things. And I'm a big thing._

_Walking on this damn broken leg was killing me. I had to find some water to drink though, or I'd probably be a dead guy by tomorrow. Something tells me water won't be easy to find... Or food._

_The whole 'dead world' thing totally isn't telling me that._

_Once I find some food and water, I'm gonna start to figure out where the hell I am right now. The sun's up, but it doesn't feel as cozy and warm as it did back home, or at that other place. It's just kinda... there. It just shines and makes it light out and it's just a tiny bit warm. _

_... Wait, there's something..._

_I limped faster towards it. I think it was water! I'd drool, but all I could get was poison._

_... I got to it. It was a small pond..._

_... It was purple._

_I stared at it for a bit, and decided 'to hell with this', and took a sip._

_It tasted kinda bitter. It's poisoned... Yeah. Totally poisoned._

_Thank Arceus I'm immune to poison. I drank my fill. Felt a little sorry for any other sap that couldn't stomach poisoned stuff._

_Okay. I got water down, I could probably go for another day or two. I had to find a bite to eat in this dead place. I'm damn lucky I found something to drink. I'd beat my head on a rock ten times if I found food in the same day._

_Maybe I shouldn't think too much about food. I should find a place to crash first, see if anyone else lives out here. Anyone that isn't a douche, that is..._

_I kept limping around. The pain was starting to get to me. I'd have to stop soon or else I'd probably mess it up more than it already is. Bones suck that way._

_Screw this. I'm stopping. My leg's KILLING me._

_I flopped on my side to take a break from all this damn walking. The pain would stop throbbing so much with a bit of time... I think. I haven't broken anything in a long time 'cause I usually never lose. And I don't jump like an idiot from high places thinking I'll be okay._

_I decided to think a bit about what's happened to me lately, 'cause that's just about all I could frickin' do._

_So I've been put in three completely different places against my damn will. Some place that wasn't really that bad because it was a bit better than home, some weird spacey... place, and now I'm here in this place that's about as dead as my hope in people not being douchebags deep down._

_I kinda don't get why the hell I keep fighting against things. I just end up losing in the end, somehow, someway. Fatty winds up making me his tool, then he throws me in that place, and that Juniper bitch backstabbed me, and then I wind up losing to Snakey..._

_What the hell did I do to deserve all of this shit!_

_Maybe I should just damn give up and take this shit like a tough guy should. Nothing I try seems to work. Everyone else has some sorta trump card to fightin' me. Hell, that Turv kid was probably the nicest one I knew since he never actually dicked around with me at all._

_... I kinda miss 'im. He made it seem like he cared, ever since I saved his hide._

_No. That's a load of crap. Nobody would trust me. Not with the crap I've already done._

_I'm just getting damn tired of this. Nobody can leave me the hell alone!_

_Nobody cares!_

_I don't care!_

_I'm not 'somebody'. I'm just some douche that people love to hate, and the best thing I can damn do to make anyone happy is to frickin' disappear and never show my face ever a-frickin'-gain! I'm nobody!_

_I'm nobody..._

_I should just let this crap happen without a fight. All these other Pokemon just somehow are better than me, even if they're a complete wuss otherwise. What do they got that I don't got!_

_I'm strong!_

_I'm tough!_

_I can scare the shit out of anyone!_

_I kick ass and don't give a crap about it!_

_How do I still LOSE to these chumps!_

_Ah, dammit... Leg's throbbing even worse. Probably 'cause I'm so damned pissed at everything._

_Got good reasons to be, too._

_I needed some ice. It was just burning and throbbing and just KILLING ME!_

_I got back up. I'd stiff the pain and find somewhere to hide out for a few days. Hopefully find something to eat on the way. I could settle for almost anything by now... Even my bad leg. Though I probably shouldn't. It'd probably frickin' HURT to rip it off and eat it._

_... I need to stop thinking about food. It only makes the hunger worse. I can't stop, though! I got nothing else on my frickin' mind!_

_Dammit..._

_I think I spent an hour walking. My broken leg feels like it's on damn fire now, and I'm still hungry. Maybe I should've stuck it in that small pond to cool it off earlier..._

_I took a second to rest my leg. Maybe if I could find an Oran berry somewhere... Maybe that'd keep my leg in good shape for a bit. I just gotta find ONE of 'em... Then I could really get moving. Then I could find more serious food-y stuff. Yeah... I'll try and find one of those first._

_After a few minutes I think, I got back to walking. Have I ever said my leg was killing me? It damn is. A lot. Things are just getting suckier and suckier as I keep going on. When're things gonna turn around? I need a break from all this crap._

_Did I ever tell you whenever I walk and think at the same time I keep my eyes closed? Because when I decided to crack them back open again, it was damn too late. I slipped off a damn ledge and hit a hill going down. I couldn't do jack crap as I rolled down the hill, bumping over rocks and maybe falling a bit once or twice. I twisted my leg a bit more and I think I decided to shout just what I felt._

_When I came to a stop I was damn dizzy. I didn't want to move at all, and I think I was about to fall asleep because I hurt too much to stay awake. I think I heard something for once... Someone saying something..._

"Over here! The sound came from over here!"

_Son of a..._

_... I blacked out._

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_..._

_..._

_Dammit... I started to wake up. My leg was still killing me, but I was lying on my side. I heard whispering, but I wasn't in any mood to fight. I barely cracked the eye I had closer to the ground open to try and see anything. I was somewhere underground... I could barely see something orange._

_I heard a voice coming from the orange thing. It looked familiar..._

_Wait._

_Was it that 'Raichu' chump from that prison...? Hell does he want with me now? How does he even know I'm out here!_

_Unless..._

_... What the hell happened? Why's everything so dead? Maybe that fat rat knew something I didn't..._

_I just can't believe it, though._

_I'm still on this dumb world, 'cept..._

_It's all dead._

_I couldn't be damned to get up. I didn't want to, either. If this place was anywhere near or in cahoots with those Treasure Town idiots, I'd rather play dead. Or play like I was sleeping._

_Or actually sleep._

_I still wanna know what the hell's goin' on, though. I got thrown through some damn weird dimension or some shit. I DESERVE to know, dammit!_

_Then a lady voice started sayin' stuff._

"Raichu. He's awake... I can hear his thoughts."

_Son of a BITCH! Mindreaders! I can't get ANY privacy either!_

"Calm down, Canderack. You're safe here."

_You- Wait._

_How the hell does this lady know my name._

_I cracked open my other eye, and son of a bitch._

_I saw._

_It was her._

_That 'Juniper' chick, standing next to Raichu._

_I growled and snarled and snapped at the both of them. They were lucky I wasn't in the damn mood to get up and kick their sorry asses._

_Juniper flinched like a pansy._

"Calm down! I just told you you're safe, and we got your leg bandaged. Not sure how you messed it up like that, though..."

_I stopped for a second, then I turned onto my back and curled up a bit to see my legs._

_... Well, shit._

_My back-right leg had this bandage on it. I couldn't really feel it either. Probably some kinda stuff that makes it heal and makes it not able to feel stuff._

"It's been a long time, you know. A few years..."

_"Hell do I care? You called those stupid officer guys out to come and get me!"_

"That wasn't my fault! Mac was followed, and he didn't know either!"

_"That's a load of crap! I should kick your white skinny ass RIGHT NOW!"_

_I started to get up._

"Wait! Just... hold on a second."

_"What? You wanna SQUEAL before I frickin' beat you into next week!"_

"I want to say sorry, but I know you're not the kind to just... take 'sorry' and be alright. I want to show you something. At least do my that favor, please?"

_I grumbled._

_"Fine, whatever. Make it quick. If this crap ain't worth my time, I'm kicking your ass twice as long."_

"Look, just... follow me. Raichu, you too."

_We followed this dumb girl to some other place thru some rocky tunnels that were lit up with firey sticks. I started to get bored and impatient really fast. I was just about to get ready to beat her into dust, and then..._

_We went into a room. There were these gratey-things in the ceiling that let in light. It kinda hurt my eyes for a second to look up into the sunlight... But then I looked back down._

_I was in heaven._

_It was this big... big patch of flowers!_

_Colorful flowers!_

_I limped over to some as quick as I could, and took a whiff._

_I almost felt my eyes roll into the back of my head, it was the best damned thing that's ever happened to me in my life on this dumb dead rock! I could probably just get DRUNK on the smell it was so damn good!_

_I took my time, smelling each one and getting to know their own certain smells. I know each flower's got it's own little smell, even if it's the same kinda flower. Kinda like how Pokémon are special in their own way, even though we look the same and can know the same moves._

"So... Do you believe me? I'm seriously sorry... It's just been so long, and I thought you were gone for good when Krausmer threw you into that portal..."

_I looked at her for a second._

_Then I butted her with my head. Softly. I didn't feel like saying shit._

_She actually meant it._

_I felt kinda fuzzy inside... Someone was REALLY being nice to me...!_

_Son of a bitch, I never thought this'd happen!_

"Raichu predicted you'd be found at some point after Krausmer got what he wanted. The Dimensional Scream really worked...!"

_Raichu said nothing. He just looked off to the side._

"Look... I'll be frank, now. We need your help. We have to stop Krausmer's reign NOW!"

_I thought about it for a second. If she meant it, what if all those other Treasure Townies actually want my help and they're all sorry, too...?_

_I looked around a bit, kinda lost. Though... I guess I kinda had to trust her._

"But it'll take a while. I need to do something I had to stop a long time ago."

_"What?"_

"I need to teach you how to talk. Once you can do that, the other Pokémon won't have to be afraid of you anymore...!"

_I... Guess that works..._

_"Sure, I guess. Am I still gonna get those drinks...?"_

"Not so often... Our food supply is grown in another one of these underground gardens. Berries take some time to grow. But Spinda can still make drinks every once in a while!"

_"... Okay... fine. Whatever. As long as I get some."_

"Alright! Let's go to my room, we'll get started there!"

_We left Raichu at the flowery room. I followed her down more halls, and some other random Pokemon looked at me all uncozy-like. Whatever... I'd do them a favor, I guess. Since they're not really calling out shit on me, I'll play along._

_We got over to her room, and she let me sit on some soft square-y stuff on the floor, and she started to teach me how to talk again. We picked up at the basic stuff she already taught me before the 'Magnezone' crap._

_This was gonna be a loooooooong few months..._


	17. IJuniperI A ray of hope!

Antivenom

Chapter XVII

"Finally, a ray of hope!"

_The first time I saw him, I had no idea what to think. I was mostly concerned about my fast-incoming death...! I knew it was upon me when that sadist Siev decided to try and have me for lunch..._

_I shudder at the thought still. I couldn't see anything, and I was with a couple of villains. I had lost any hope I had for my survival. I wanted to tell Mac I was sorry that I couldn't make it back... I felt so guilty having gotten caught!_

_What I didn't expect was for him to save me. He was a known outlaw, and was known to much sooner attack someone than help someone, let alone save a life. I was still scared for my life at that time; what if he actually wanted me as HIS meal instead?_

_After I had gotten over my own fear at the moment and realized why he had hesitated..._

_I could sense his feelings. He didn't just think it was cruel and unusual._

_He felt alone, deep down. He needed someone to... "Be" with. Someone to talk to, someone that'd care about him. It was hard to even find that feeling, his whole emotional track being in complete chaos at the time._

_As I had taken him back to my home, the chaos settled down. I could sense gratitude coming from him, even though he wouldn't show it. He felt Beautiflies in his tummy, I bet. I know it was probably silly of me to be so trusting so immediately, but I was just about to reward him with anything at the time. I suppose my trust was the first thing I could think of giving._

_So I gave him my trust. I brought him to my home... Trusted him not to do anything wild. To my surprise, he didn't do anything wild. My own feeling was right- he DID need someone to show him some compassion. He just had no way to show his feelings... He could only communicate to us through guttural sounds and violence._

_And violence doesn't give us a positive message. It tells us to go away. I had to get him into the civil world, so he could at least... Properly warn someone. I don't care if he wants to be left alone truly, but if he wants to be... He needs to know how to tell someone properly. That's why I had gotten the idea to teach him how to talk to others. That would be how I could repay him for his kindness... So that he could get what he wanted._

_I wasn't sure if I could trust Mac with knowing he was there, but I had to. He hadn't done anything for the short bit of time he was there. I'm still not sure whether he led Magnezone to us or not... The problem was that Magnezone had followed him. This absolutely destroyed whatever trust I had with him. I could feel the sheer amounts of betrayal that he thought of me. I wanted to say sorry, but that wouldn't cut it. I had no idea what to do... I was an outlaw; Mac was an outlaw AND lost..._

_And Canderack had hated me. I had no idea what to do._

_Until it had actually hit me that I should talk with Team Syndicate. They could help me straighten things out. Canderack could've caused much more harm than he already had done, or was already doing. I couldn't talk to Lucario, though... He was more of a vigilante than Raichu was. I needed to hire them to plan out how to catch him, and then I could find a way to apologize to him._

_Don't get me wrong, I'm not making an exception for one criminal. I had taken into thought of applying for a job with Magnezone's force to rehabilitate imprisoned outlaws to try and get them to turn over a new leaf. I wasn't sure about trying it though... I had always thought that criminals were violent and rowdy and immediately went to violence the moment they could strike. Maybe they're like Canderack: They feel insecure and unwanted and go the wrong way; committing crimes to solidify their thoughts so they wouldn't have the haunting suspicion that they were outlaws. It's scary how just a thought could get to you like that..._

_I digress. Not to say all outlaws are like him, but if I'm going to work on giving rehab to outlaws? I'm going to have to start now and keep going one at a time. My gamble at least paid off. I had remembered he had absolutely loved flowers. I kept this garden for when he would find himself down here in the underground of Treasure Town._

_This past year has been a nightmare. I had spoken to Raichu the day before we had found that large army of ghost-types gathered by the eastern sea. He had said that when Canderack was imprisoned and he had touched the cell bars, the Dimensional Scream had come back to life and informed him of the future. Given, I had no idea what that was. He explained that to me quickly enough, because the future was the bigger concern._

_The future we live in, right now._

_This dead world..._

_I almost wanted to cry._

_Pokemon were driven from their homes if they could run, and others were dragged off and never seen again... It's just a great big nightmare! Raichu had foreseen this and started recruiting some of the members from Wigglytuff's to expand the underground base to use as a hidden shelter for when the Ghosts would start their attack on the world. He also foresaw Canderack facing off with their leader, the Dusknoir who had..._

_... I digress. I'll give that some thought later._

_Canderack was thrown away into some kind of other dimension, and nobody saw him again ever since. I thought he was dead or lost, and I felt a bit bad down on the inside. I had wanted to apologize, and I couldn't. Raichu told me to stand tall and wait, though. We had needed to get anyone who would listen to be ready to go into hiding at any time._

_When it happened, it happened fast. Like I said, it took them less than a year to bring down most of the continent. Water supplies were poisoned, berry and apple trees withered away and died... It was increasingly difficult to manage to survive out in the world. We were lucky and made sure we could grow food, and the local water-types could help us keep hydrated. We made sure they were fed the most, because providing drinking water for everyone was a big responsibility. It's bad times like these where people work together..._

_We had nowhere to go though in terms of reclaiming our world. Our plan was mostly half-baked: We knew what to do to survive. We had nothing on what to do to fight back._

_Fighting back seemed impossible, anyway. The numbers of surviving Pokemon are probably low, and the Ghost army is still going strong, and is probably getting even stronger with each passing day. Canderack's arrival was uplifting to both me and Raichu's spirits, because if he would actually fight with us..._

_We could actually stand a chance._

_His fighting skill must be incredible to have stayed in one place as an outlaw for so long! I just hope I can convince him to help us... I don't think he'll listen to me right at day one. I'll have to truly take his trust back so he'll listen to me for what I have to say. If we can at least secure the town up above, we'll have to get scouts out to investigate the other centers of civilization in the world to see how they're holding up. Places like Winterton shouldn't be so heavily hit, being on an island in Winterton's case. The ice types could help us reclaim the world, but it wouldn't even be easy to get out there._

_I'm still worried as to where Mac's gone. I hope he's okay..._

_I try to remain hopeful about things. There's always a chance until you're proven wrong, right?_

_Oh, what am I doing? I need to get to work! I can't get Canderack to help us by doing absolutely nothing and mulling over what's happened as of late! I need to do my part and take action... Even if it's not as significant to the others._

_Speaking of him... He looks different. The shell he had before was red and purple. Now it's black and dark blue... Sort-of like that weird place he went into. I wonder if that's had any mental effect on him?_

_I ran through the things from my home that I moved down here, which included the paper I had used to instruct Canderack on how to speak. I got out some pencils and markers and the easel I used to prop up the paper, and brought them out to him. He looked over at me with the same old stare he looked at everyone else with. Eyes half-closed, almost as if he was annoyed at everyone and everything._

_I almost felt like giving him a hug, but I decided against that._

_I broke the ice._

"So... Are you ready to get back to learning?" I asked.

_I made sure I was reading his mind, too. That's the only way I can even tell what he wants._

_"Yeah, yeah. Just set your crap up and we'll get going,"_ he responded.

_I started to set up the easel and put my pencils and markers in a little cup I brought out as well._

"You know, I've always wanted to tell you something," I started.

_Alright... here goes..._

_"It's not like I'm damn going anywhere. Spit."_

"I've been meaning to say that I'm sorry about the incident back at my house, with Magnezone... Mac... Everyone there at the time. I sincerely didn't know if he was being followed or not. You don't have to believe me, but I never would've set you up like that. Not after you saved my life."

_He was silent for a bit. I looked over at him for a few seconds, and all he was doing was giving me the same blank stare as he always gave. I felt for his emotions..._

_... Was he feeling sad? I felt sadness... Maybe some sort of feeling of acceptance? Appreciation? Love?_

_Did he feel loved and cared for?_

_"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. That douche isn't around to screw crap up, anyway. And that tyke who BROUGHT him over wound up getting himself lost."_

_I kept quiet. It made me a bit angry, but there wasn't any use crying over spilt milk._

"Alright. Let's get back to where we were... Do you remember anything from the first few lessons?"

_"Nah."_

_I wanted to groan. This would take a while._

_We essentially spent a few hours going over the basics once again- saying his name, greeting Pokemon, goodbyes, all of that stuff. He actually seemed to pick up on it a lot faster than he did before... Did he really trust me? Was he actually enjoying learning this? I swear, he's an enigma alright._

_Was his species naturally smart?_

_... Wait. What IS he?_

"Canderack?"

_He grunted._

_"What?"_

"What... ARE you? I just thought of it now. You're a Pokémon, but not one that anyone's ever seen before."

_"Scolipede. Now drop the subject."_

_Scolipede? I've... never heard of it before. Maybe he's from another world? What would bring him out here? What if he's like Raichu was when he first came here; with amnesia and no idea on what he was here for?_

_Like Raichu, but a lot stronger..._

_... and meaner._

_I'll have to learn more about him with time. For now, though, I'll just have to keep teaching him on how to talk to people. Maybe he could actually make friends if h has a new way to communicate with others?_

_I just hope that what I'm doing is right... What if he doesn't actually want to help us? I'll have to try.._

_All I can do is hope._

_Hope is what I live by._


	18. IMultipleI Elsewhere

Antivenom

Chapter XVIII

"Elsewhere..."

_It's been nearly a year since Krausmer got into position to start all this trouble. I've been feeling bad the whole time. It felt like it was all my fault that I couldn't do anything to stop him..._

_But that's why I started the WHIFF._

_Or... um..._

_Winterton Head Insurgency Fighting Force._

_Yeah, I know. Lame name and all that. It was all I could think of at the time, and everyone who stuck with me didn't complain about the name. It's all we've got to keep up morale; a name for our cause. Freeing Winterton, and possibly the world from Krausmer's big evil mitts!_

_The Explorer's guild was one of the first groups of Pokémon to join me in forming the WHIFF. Glalie was always one to trust me ever since I had found some dungeons for the Guild years back. I was thankful for that, because most of the town followed suit._

_I brought Xiva with me as well to help us make a hiding place for everyone, since Krausmer probably knew to attack Winterton alongside the other settlements around the world. I don't know why, but I was good at managing everyone like a leader. I guess I must've found something I could've done to help everyone else even if it isn't research..._

_I digress, though._

_We've been having tough times since day one. We haven't really made any counterattacks or made any moves to claim territory, or even reclaim town. It's really bleak... All communications to the other towns are all nonexistant. We don't have anyone that could get us across the oceans, since the water-types gave us rides. They're most likely hiding as well from Krausmer's minions._

_I just... I need to figure out what to do! We're low on supplies and low on morale. If someone came by to save us, that'd be the best thing._

_Or I need to stop being a coward and lead an attack to take back the town! I haven't been out for months, but I know Winterton's most likely occupied._

_That's what I'll do. I'll rally everyone and start doing something for a change!_

_Okay... Here I go!_

_(Perspective Change)_

_Gettin' used to the whole dead world shtick is like gettin' used to the world when I first got here in the damn first place._

_I sat the hell down and did nothing._

_That 'Juniper' girl got me food and taught me how to talk some more 'n stuff. Life was kinda like how it was when I used to stay at her house 'n stuff. It didn't really suck._

_Place really sucks though otherwise, 'cause it's all dead._

_..._

_Now that I think about it..._

_If all the plants are dead up there..._

_There's no flowers._

_I can't think of it like that. Only one patch of flowers, and it's down here? Where's all the fun in there just being one bunch of flowers in -all the world-?_

_Feh. I'll worry about that later. I wanna get back at that fat piece of crap for makin' me do his stupid dirty work._

_When I get my claws on him..._

_I'm gonna KICK HIS ASS!_

_(Perspective Change)_

_Mm-hm-hm._

_This is all too easy now that I've robbed the world of it's life. My plan is nearing completion._

_My loyal followers are bringing me less and less Pokémon each day to be converted to the cause. That means we've started to get most of the ones that can't hide, or fight._

_Something's been nagging at my conciousness, though. Something amiss... Awry. I can't put my finger on it. My control over the Void is still firm, that is for certain. Maybe the Void is telling me something..._

_But what?_

_It's not important, most likely. Once I start to sweep my way around for hiding places, the world is done for. Victory will at last truly be mine._

_Not only mine._

_All of us will win in the long run; we shall be united together as one people! We can proceed to move forward! Advance! All shall be equal!_

_I had grown tired of all of the harassment that has gone on in the world, to others and myself. Nearly drove me mad, how there was a demand for equality yet no-one would act upon the desire!_

_Until now, that is._

_Even if they do not understand what I am doing for them, they will come to appreciate it sooner or later._

_Now, if only this feeling will leave me be..._

_(Perspective Change)_

_This is terrible..._

_He doesn't know what he's doing! I had warned him while he studied under me, but he ignored it in his mad lust for power!_

_Let it be known that I, Gwendalyn Sentalin, know what such a disruption of nature is going to bring upon himself, and the world._

_And it's a lot worse than what he's done. Far worse._

_It could destroy the world if it's left out of check, but he won't come to part with control over the Void. Oh no, he's going to be a complete fool and get everyone obliterated and stuck in an infinitely large rift!_

_Tampering with nature is a crime that never should be comitted, and even I regret having the knowledge to do so!_

_I only wonder what exactly drove me to even explain to him what it was. I must've been too trusting..._

_I wish I could go back in time and stop that from happening, but I can't._

_And now Xiva is missing, too. My only family gone missing after I was taken by Krausmer._

_Maybe he's somewhat right. The world -is- too trusting, and he's proving his point... Albeit rather extremely._

_I sense something... elusive._

_What could it be?_

_Krausmer also has to be feeling it..._

_Oh no. Is that what's to come...?_

_I pray it's not, and merely something else. I can't take my mind off of it now..._

_I swear, Krausmer's head is nothing BUT a void!_

_(Perspective Change)_

_That punk, Siev! He was in cahoots with that Dusknoir the whole time! Knew I couldn't trust that slippery snake, Mm-mm! Nope!_

_As the leader of the Midnight Forest Nutcrackers (That's the kick-butt outlaw name I made!), one of THE best word-hearin' bunches in the world, I will NOT let this junk happen! There's heck to pay for backstabbin' the outlaws!_

_Y'don't just go with crazies like that guy. There's no money to get outta that! That's not the way criminals work! We work by stealin', not by takin' people away to suffer Arceus-knows-what in some creepy tower on the southern peninsula!_

_Gonna get me some scouts out 'n about to figure out where all the hideouts are for survivin' Pokémon. Once I find 'em, gonna get 'em out here in Midnight Forest so we can all get ready to attack._

_Siev's got a lot to answer to when I get my mitts on his hisser!_

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Clearly, the world is in a state of pure chaos and destruction.


	19. ITurvI WHIFFing away fear!

Antivenom

Chapter XIX

"WHIFF-ing away fear!"

_Okay... I think this should work. It took about an hour to get everyone in on it, but we're all in position._

_Everyone that lived in Winterton is poised behind some of the large snowbanks and dense sections of trees. We're done hiding- nobody is going to help us, so we're going to have to help ourselves!_

_And that big first step is taking back our home!_

_We're all ready to make a drop on them. I wouldn't be doing any fighting... but..._

_This plan should work! I thought it up!_

_Glalie is going to approach along the main path to the Sableye guards on terms of surrender. Since some of us coming out after all this time would be a surprise, I think that most of the guards would get all clumped up in one spot._

_Then BAM!_

_We all surround them from all sides possible in town, and evict the squatters! That'll show Krausmer what we think about him!_

_The WHIFF is going to make its first move today. Today is the start of the world getting taken back, and being reborn!_

_Glalie was floating next to me with two senior members of the Winterton Explorers' Guild, Dewgong and Delibird. They were going to propose the surrender of Winterton's citizens to Krausmer's control. I knew that if we really -did- give up, we'd all be done for. He doesn't show anyone mercy in his crazy plans..._

_I looked over to him. He looked at me._

_I gave him a nod. That was the signal for us to get started._

_He and the two senior members began to get moving down the path we were next to that led into town. I peeked out barely and only noticed one sentry outside. Maybe we weren't as important to him as we thought...?_

_I hid away again. I could barely hear words starting to get exchanged, then I peered out from the other side so it wouldn't be so easy to spot me._

_More sentries had started pouring out of homes and shops, flocking to Glalie's group. I kept watching... I'd give everyone else the signal to attack. It'd give us an advantage, too!_

_I just hope I don't wait too long..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Okay, I think that's enough of them._

_Here I go...!_

_I called a blizzard down on the town with my Snow Warning ability. That was the signal._

_With all the snow blowing about, the sentries would have one heck of a time trying to fight all of our town's Pokémon. We have a natural advantage fighting under snowy conditions, and the low visibility makes it even worse._

_I didn't participate, I was just the plotter. Glalie understood why and all... I just helped us formulate an attack plan. At least I could help in some way, right...?_

_I just turned my back to the tree I was behind and sat down, leaning. I overheard all the sounds of fighting happening. The shouting, the rays of ice being shot, the cries of pain..._

_It all seemed so unnecessary to me. Why couldn't we just get along? The world was fine as it was, even though outlaws were still out and about. It's better than the world being dead, right? Everyone had a home somewhere, someplace... They had food and water... Battling was a hobby for a lot of others, rescuing younger Pokémon or weaker explorers was a round-the-world activity._

_I feel like I'm one of a few Pokémon who appreciates learning more about the world, or learning more about what the world used to be like. I'm a bit of a sucker for mythology and all of the gods of Pokémon and those who have supreme control over forces of nature... Or they ARE the forces of nature themselves. I don't really know which way it goes, but that's just how it is. I don't even know that much about them, either._

_Lucario and Raichu in Treasure Town said they had prevented Temporal Tower from collapsing and even fought and beat Dialga. Everyone just swallowed that story like it was the absolute truth, but... I'm a bit skeptical. They were the only two who even went to the "Hidden Land" in the first place, so only they could say that it even exists. Nobody has discovered the Hidden Land before either, so that just makes it even more suspicious._

_What if they actually lied about saving the world? What if the Time Gears were related to something else? What if Temporal Tower wasn't actually real, or the hidden land? What if it all was just a big story so two Explorers could strike it big and become popular, and heroes?_

_Maybe I'm just getting carried away in conspiracies and I should trust the explorers' guilds more... I've just always had a questioning eye to a lot of things that there isn't a lot of evidence of happening. The world was fine, at least. If they did actually keep the world safe, then I'm sorry for doubting them and I'm thankful for their service to everyone!_

_And yet..._

_And yet._

_I bet I'll become famous one day as a Pokémon Archaeologist! I'll make all of this money from my studies and research, and I'll start a bunch of Archaeologists' guilds all over the world! That'll show everyone that you don't have to be a tough-and-tumble Explorer to make money and be famous! Anyone can make a name for themself if they really try!_

_I guess this is what I'll be remembered by. The one little Snover that started the rebellion that eventually saved the world from dying off entirely from an evil tyrant. Maybe not what I was shooting for, but... It feels right. I was done being a coward... I can't fight, but I can be brave in other ways!_

_Oh..._

_The fighting's died down._

_I got up and looked out from behind the tree I was sitting behind. I bore witness to all sorts of Ghost Pokémon and Ice Pokémon strewn about, injured or fainted. Most of the townsfolk were busy moving the defeated Ghosts out of town so everyone could get settled back in. It warmed my heart a bit... I felt a bit proud of myself. I had orchestrated this great thing...!_

_I didn't get too caught up in it, though. We weren't anywhere near out of the woods with this kind of trouble. We had to get help from all over the world wherever we could find it. We needed to make an army that could rival Krausmers!_

_The WHIFF would bring peace to everyone! I know it!_

_I came out from behind the tree, and went over to Glalie really quick._

"You did it, Glalie! You and everyone beat the Ghosts and now we have our home back!", I told him excitedly.

"Do not put all of the plaudits on us, Turv. You were important in the reclaiming of our beloved hometown, too. Everyone else may not say so, but I believed in you from the beginning. You're a bright boy, and I'm proud to have followed your wisdom."

"Um... um...", I stuttered.

_I started to blush. It wasn't normal for me to be hailed like this... Glalie was smart, too! Maybe he's just making me feel good about it._

"It's alright. Just go and make yourself comfortable, you've done your part. We've only just begun, we need to make sure Blizzard Island is safe from the Ghost Army's clutches. You'll be formulating more attack plans later," Glalie said, comfortingly.

"... Dismissed," he finished with a little wink.

_I laughed a little. He always said that to guildsmon when they were being briefed on a mission or guild-wide trip. He was good-natured... I'm glad he's the local guild leader. Treasure Town's Wigglytuff is a looney from what I hear._

_I left him to his business, and I went to my home. It wasn't so much a home but a big snowbank that was dug out and made kinda homey. I flinched a bit when I looked inside... But I forgot that my dad was gone._

_I felt a little bad... What if the Army got him? He was mean, but..._

_Pokémon can change, can't they?_

_Maybe... Maybe not. I guess I'll just leave that thought there for some time. I'll think about it later._

_I looked around. Not much was left... The sentries must've convoyed almost anything of interest or value out of Winterton a good while ago while we were all hiding. Mostly heavy things like furniture were left behind... It's just not right having beds without blankets, though. I want to be a little bit warm when I sleep..._

_Oh well. That's barely a problem worth worrying about. Glalie said I had to get ready to plan some more._

_I went over to bed and climbed up on it, lied down and turned on my side, facing the wall._

_A quick nap would help me think clearly... Yeah..._

_I exhaled and shut my eyes. I haven't slept comfortably in forever._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_I... I started to dream._

_It was a big, wide world where everyone was happy again. It was a really sweet thing... Maybe my own desire right now?_

_It didn't matter. I just... I played like a kid. I sometimes feel a bit precocious being smart and all and that I barely have any real fun. I don't know why, but I had fun playing games with other kids from Treasure Town rather than Winterton._

_Then it was all different for some reason. I was in some clearing by the eastern sea. I looked around, but that was interrupted by a loud noise, and a large black rip in space opening up over the water. Something screeched and howled from inside..._

_It scared me. Was I actually having a nightmare?_

_Then I flashed to this dark place... I couldn't see anything._

"Do not resist. You will disappear soon as well," called out a voice.

_Krausmer? No... It can't be. I don't see..._

_I heard someone shouting. I didn't know who._

_I was lying somewhere else now. It was the dead world... The trees were dead, the grass was wilted and dead... The dirt was a sickish ashy color, too._

"Turv..."

_Someone's calling me?_

"Turv...!"

_Who's there...? I can't... I can't move!_

"Turv!"

_I snapped awake to see that I was being shaken by a resident Delibird._

"No more napping, Turv! We can't sleep all day, we need to keep going while we got momentum!", she explained.

"Oh! Right! Sorry, I'll be right out!", I replied.

_She left. I shook my head a bit. What had I dreamed about...? It was so random..._

_Oh well._

_I hopped down from my bed and stretched a bit. I had a big day ahead of me._

_Hoo boy, did I have a big day ahead of me..._

_But I won't complain! I have a job to do!_

_The WHIFF is going to wipe out the Ghost Army's presence here in Blizzard Island!_


	20. ICanderackI Gettin what I need

Antivenom

Chapter XX

"Gettin' what I need."

_After about a week 'n a bit more I got used to livin' underground all the time. Got told where everything was and memorized it, too._

_Today I was at an underground kind of... dojo, I think Juniper called it, that Marowak owned. Finally got to see the guy too, considering that Mac chump talked about training with him all the damn time._

_I gotta say. If I'd called someone a bonehead before, I'd never seen one literally. Guy wears a frickin' skull for a mask. What kinda guy DOES that? It's stupid. Just take off the damn thing so you can see better._

_I barely said a thing to the old man. Just tells me I can use the training dungeons for exercise 'n that crap. Better he said that rather than "training". I'd barely get anything out of kicking a bunch of weaklings into the rock._

_I was blissfully kicking a bunch of ass to loosen up and unwind. Surprising how many Pokémon there were for a dyin' world in here. I'd think fatty would've gotten his mitts on these bunch, but no._

_I sorta fought unconciously and took my time to think. I was doing all this fightin'..._

_... Did I really wanna fight for this clump of tools? They were houndin' me for what felt like ever. Probably ain't such a good idea in the first place..._

_Then again..._

_I got nothin' else planned. I got no other fight to fight, other than my own fight._

_... 'cept..._

_What IS my fight? I never really thought about it. It just popped into my head right now..._

_Maybe I'm not fightin' like... boom-bam-pow fightin', but some other kinda fight that I can't figure out how it's fought, but I'm fightin' it anyway._

_Makin' my head hurt, all this deep thinking..._

_Wait a minute. I remember now..._

_That's right, dammit!_

_The stars!_

_Didn't onion-head say that the old fart Torkoal knew what the stars meant?_

_Dammit, why'd I forget for so long?_

_Gotta find that guy... find him NOW!_

_I stormed out of the "training" dungeon and out the dojo. I started going around until I found Juniper so she'd tell me where he is._

_I went to her cave first 'cause that was the most likely spot, but no dice. Not there._

_I tried the flower patch. Not there..._

_... Though I did sniff a couple flowers before I left._

_I checked that Spinda guy's place too, since I went there once during the weeks. Still no dice._

_This was starting to piss me off. Where was she?_

_Screw her. I can find Torkoal myself. I knew enough on sayin' stuff so people would know what I was on about._

_I think._

_I tried asking around where Torkoal was. Pokémon I asked looked confused, but told me he was close to the bluff. I asked where that was, and they pointed me in the right direction._

_Okay. Progress is being made. This is making me NOT pissed off._

_... Wouldn't that make me pissed on?_

_..._

_ARCEUS, that's disgusting!_

_Why'd I even THINK of that? Grah!_

_I shook my head and started going the way I was told to go._

_I decided to think some more about what I was really doing down in this hellhole._

_... Or... bunch of hellholes._

_Maybe I should fight for these Pokémon 'cause they don't got anyone tough enough to stand up to that fat jackass. Maybe they're really sorry for being a bunch of pains before._

_Or it's a trick._

_... Hell if I care. I got a score to settle anyway. If they wanna fight him too, whatever. I still get first pickins on taking him down._

_But..._

_What am I gonna do when we kick his ass both ways 'til sunday? I don't got a home here. I don't -fit- here. I ain't seen a single Pokémon I know from where I came from since the day I first got in this stupid world._

_Unova region I think the humans called it._

_Certainly weren't no Treasure Town to be heard about..._

_Y'know, my life's just full of I-don't-knows. I need to stop not knowing and I need to start knowing!_

_Like knowing what I'm really gonna do with myself after this is all over._

_Maybe the stars will tell me something about what I'll do or what'll happen to me. Yeah..._

_I came back to my senses again and kept going. I need to stay focused and find Torkoal I'll FINALLY have things go my way for once._

_I kept going down these tunnel-y... places..._

_Then I heard the waves and I came into this open room. I could see the ocean... It still seemed pretty blue, even if the world was dead._

_Then some old-sounding voice called to me._

"Hmm...? Who's there?"

_Oh._

"Torkoal?", I asked.

"Yes. That would be me... Who are you?"

_I waited for a second._

"Nobody. Got a... question."

"Ohhhh...?"

"Yeah. The stars... What do the stars mean?", I asked.

_Son of a bitch... I thought I'd -never- ask that question to ANYONE. FINALLY something goes my way!_

"The stars? Ohh my... Please, young man, give me a few moments to refresh my memory."

_... I guess I can wait just a little bit longer. I mean, he'll tell me. He HAS to tell me._

_I don't know what-_

_Dammit, I DO know what I'll do if he doesn't know! I'll find someone else who CAN tell me!_

_That's what I'll do!_

"Ah yes... The stars. I'll tell you what I know young man. Sit, stay a while, and listen!", he told me.

_I sat down. I felt kinda giddy... Finally I got to know!_

"In the days of old, there was a mythical Pokémon whose name was Jirachi. Jirachi supposedly lived on a shooting star that came and crashed onto this world!"

_Uh huh...? Go on... C'mon..._

"And when someone was brave enough to go see, Jirachi did the unthinkable- it granted a wish to the brave explorer! Shortly after, Jirachi went to sleep for as long as anyone could remember. Nobody knows if it still exists today."

_The stars mean... wishes?_

"It's funny that you ask tonight, young man. Every year, by this night, there is always a shooting star. It's a lovely sight, but my vision isn't as clear as it used to be. They say that if you wish upon a shooting star, your wish will come true! Come with me here, young man. Look up at the night sky. Do you see it?"

_I followed him over to the opening that looked out over the ocean. I looked up at the sky._

_It was a pretty night sky... All the stars were out._

_I squinted as much as I could, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary._

"Don't see nothin'," I said.

"Nonsense! Keep watching... You'll see it. I could always see it... I remember how wonderful it was when it passed during the days of my youth."

_I took the old 'mon's word. I kept staring up at the sky._

_... Wait... What's that?_

_There was this streak of yellow light going across the sky. Is that...?_

"I see a... yellow light trail."

"Quick! Make a wish before it's too late!"

_I panicked._

_I want... I want..._

_Dammit, star! Gimme something that I've always needed but never EVER got! Gimme it today, tomorrow, or... Gimme it before I die! That's all I want! Gimme what I never had!_

_And just like that- it was gone._

"... Made my wish," I said.

"You're a lucky one, young man. Not many ask me about old knowledge, or about the stars. It warms my heart to know that, even in this dire time, Pokémon still care about an old Pokémon like me. I hope your wish comes true for all that it is worth!", the old 'Mon told me.

_... You know? I kinda liked this guy. He was old, yeh, but... Something about him made me feel comfy. Seemed to kinda care what I had to say..._

"... Hey. You mind if I sleep out here tonight?", I asked.

"Ohhh... Certainly, young man. I rarely get a visitor. Best you get some rest now before you spend the next day doing your usual hard work...!"

_Then he coughed and hacked, and managed to start a fire on a bundle of sticks to keep things warmer._

_I curled up into a ball near the fire, shut my eyes and went to sleep. I had never felt so cozy before... I felt like I was at some place I could call home for once._

_If living in a bunch of cave tunnels below a dead world could be called a home... dammit._

_I didn't really have any dreams. Just one of this times where you go to sleep, black out 'cause of sleep, then wake up. Happens to me a lot actually... But whatever. Sleep is sleep._

_I got up the next morning to see that Torkoal was awake before me. Think I might've slept in late. Didn't think I'd wake up later than a fogey like him, though._

_... Or maybe he IS asleep. I couldn't tell with the way his damn eyes are._

_Didn't really move... Must've been asleep._

_I got to my feet and stretched my legs, then my back, then my claws and my neck. Gettin' the joints loose in case I have to kick ass. Or if I go to that dungeon for some pleasure time._

_I still gotta learn on how to talk to others more... I barely knew enough just to ask Torkoal about the stars._

_I left after I put out the fire with a bit of Venoshock. Gotta go back to that Juniper girl's cave again._

_Again I had time to think. Did I -really- just do something as dumb as make a wish on a shooting star? That's a load of crap. That'd never really happen._

_It doubly wouldn't happen since I don't know what the hell I'm even wishing for! "The thing I needed but never had"? What a load of baloney! The hell would I need but never had?_

_I'm big, I'm strong, I can take a lickin' and keep kickin', and I don't take crap from nobody! What else would I frickin' need!_

_I grumbled to myself. I think about the same things too much. Maybe it's 'cause I don't really know that much else about the world..._

_Dammit! I already told myself I should start knowing more than not knowing! I'm back at damn square one again!_

_I got to know a little story about the stupid stars. That didn't even make any sense to the question I asked that old fart! I wanted to know what they meant, not that I had to make a wish on a shooting star!_

_I shook my head and cooled down a bit before I got too fired up about it. I can't know everything 'bout anything. I know a lot about fightin'... Guess that counts. Makes me feel a bit better about myself._

_I kept going through the tunnels. The other Pokémon were just waking up. Guess I -did- wake up early. Chances are onion-head is still snoozing... She always took her time with sleeping in._

_Not that I care. I could take a nap or go sit by the flowers to kill time. Doesn't take much to pass time with me._

_Now that I think about it, I should probably go sit by the flowers AND take a nap. That'll do..._

_I can get to those lessons later._

_I went to the chamber, got myself settled in, smelled some flowers, and dozed off again._

_I'm livin' in my own world today... All's good in my world._


	21. ICanderackI Sore sight for eyes

Antivenom

Chapter XXI

"Sore sight for eyes"

_It's been about two months now since I got 'saved' by these townies. Gotta say, they at least know how to hide._

_Not blamin' em. I'd hide if I had to take on a whole damn army of those annoying gem-eye things..._

_I got most of this "talking" stuff down. I just hate talking to Pokemon sometimes. They still act all scared around me even though I haven't done crap to 'em._

_... For now._

_I've been stayin' in shape, and my leg's mostly healed by now. I can walk on it just fine, I just gotta be careful with what I do with it 'n all. Could break again before it's fully healed._

_Probably could be worse if I break it a second time. Right... No more back-kicks for a while._

_The Pokemon around here can't seem to get any toughness out of themselves. They're all too scared to even peek outside. And from what I know, we're hidden under what's basically a building that's supposed to look totally empty._

_Pansies._

_I was making my way, with a pack on my gut, to Spinda's place. I had a few berries I wanted to be made into a drink or two. Good stuff like those drinks are somethin' you don't get very often around here._

_I went in, handed over my berries, and got myself a large drink. I had a little hole in the side of my pack to hold 'em since my claws can't really... HOLD anything. Damn convenient that he gives me a little tube I can bend my head down to sip from._

_At least these townies are smart. If they ain't tough, they can be smart._

_I plunked down at a corner of the shop. Not like there was really anyone here. Everyone's all doing something that seems to be important, but it's really a bunch of crap. One of these days, I'm goin' out and gettin' help for these wimps._

_The sooner the better, anyway._

_I mean... From what I know, Pokemon are gettin' dragged to that fat sack of garbage's tower on the southern peninsula. Probably killin' 'em, too. It's all part of a dumb plan to make the 'perfect world'._

_Yeah. Kill everyone and turn 'em into ghosts. Real perfect world there, pal. I don't think everyone likes that idea._

_It's why they got hideouts like this one._

_... Or at least I think they have hideouts. We could be the only one left._

_Damn. I'm the only tough guy to hold off an army?_

_Sounds like a damn good fight, even though I'd probably kick the bucket sooner or later fighting that many._

_I imagined kicking royal ass against all those gem-eyed guys. They just kept comin' and I kept beatin' 'em down. I was like a real champ... Totally unstoppable._

_I nodded my head to that idea. That'd be real good. Spinda and this other short blue guy with a weird black tail that they called Wynaut were busy chatting._

_I had nothing better to do, so I listened._

"Any news going around about outside the hideout? I mean hey, why not?", Wynaut inquired.

"None that I know of... I don't think we have anyone going out to even look. They'd probably go missing, for all we know!", Spinda answered.

"So we never tried? Why not?"

"It's dangerous! There's probably a bunch of Sableye up in Treasure Town anyway waiting for anyone to emerge from hiding at the slightest thought of hope."

_Then the tall blue one with the weird tail slapped it's forehead with the short end of it's arm._

"That's right!"

_Feh. Wimps._

_I got up and left. Their chat was already boring me._

_I went back to Juniper's cave to sit down for a bit. Maybe think about stuff._

_When I got there and sat down, I kinda realized..._

_There wasn't really anything to think about by now. I've thought about everything and anything, and I couldn't really figure out half of it. Or get to know more about half of it._

_So much for getting to know more..._

_Screw knowing. As long as stuff didn't get me in deep, I'd be good._

_I sipped my drink some more._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Then there was faint noises, but you knew they were loud. Something was goin' on up at the surface. A fight?_

_Who could be fighting up there? The gem-eyes?_

_I continued listening. It kept going for a few minutes. I felt my gut twist. Was this it?_

_Did someone go up and give us away by attacking the guards?_

_Hell no. I ain't goin' down without a fight. I got up and stretched, getting ready to brawl._

_I made my way towards the hidden entrance to the cave to get ready for them. Nobody else seemed to show._

_... Weaklings._

_If I lose, this is their fault for not taking up any challenge._

_I crouched a bit, getting myself dug in place for any kinda push._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_But there wasn't any push. I heard some kinda hummin' noise coming from the other side of the entrance._

_"BZZZZZZZT... ROCKY LAYER IS HOLLOW ON THE OTHER END."_

_... Oh no. You gotta be kiddin' me..._

_Then the blockade-slash-door slid open._

_It was them cops. That Magnezone chump, several more of them "Magnemite" guys, and some of 'em were... three of those magnemites stuck together._

"BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT! VENOM BANDIT'S PRESENCE DETECED!", one of the Senior Officers Magneton declared.

"ZZZZZZZT. STAND DOWN, OFFICERS," ordered Magnezone.

"BZZZT. AFFIRMATIVE," the other officers replied, confirming their orders.

_... What...?_

"BZZZZT. I HAVE RALLIED ALL OF THE REMAINING OFFICERS OF THE WORLD POLICE FORCE. WE HAVE LIBERATED TREASURE TOWN FROM KRAUSMER'S FORCES. BANDIT, YOUR FIGHTING PROWESS IS INVALUABLE TO RECLAIMING THE WORLD FROM TERROR. WE WISH TO ENLIST YOUR ASSISTANCE," Magnezone briefed.

"... There's a bunch of others camped out here. I'll give 'em a wake up call," I told them.

_The officers all looked dumbstruck when I actually said somethin' to 'em. I turned down the cavern, and I took a deeeeeep breath._

_Then I shouted as loud as possible._

"WAKE THE HELL UP! WE GOT BACKUP!"

_A few minutes later, aaaall the townies gathered 'round the entrance._

_The officer guys gave some big speech about freeing the town and the world, yadda yadda. It was all boring. I couldn't climb up the ladders to get to the surface, so a bunch of the officers carried me out from a broken window. I tell you: I found it hard to stay balanced._

_When I was actually able to see town, I saw gem-eyes lying everywhere, groaning and moaning. Geez, these cops must've really whupped 'em good..._

_I guess I gotta throw them a little bit of respect. Then again, they had more guys than usual. There were a LOT of those cops around actually... It kinda bugged me. Why didn't they help us sooner?_

_Sure, it probably took a while to get the extra backup, but..._

_Whatever. We're out of hiding, so that's one step._

_I actually overheard some of the cops talking about news in the world._

"BZZZZT. WINTERTON HAS ALREADY REVOLTED AGAINST THE GHOST ARMY, BZZZZT."

"Really? We're not the only ones to come out of hiding openly?"

"BZZZZT. NEGATIVE. THE INFAMOUS CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION THAT LABELS THEMSELVES AS THE 'NUTCRACKERS' HAS MOBILIZED AGAINST THE GHOST ARMY AS WELL. BZZZZT."

_What, did the whole world decide to just up and say "Kay, this is boring. Let's do something else"?_

_... It just seems a bit too convenient to me._

"ZZZZZT. EXPLORER'S GUILDS HAVE STARTED RALLYING AGAINST THE GHOST ARMY ON TOP OF THAT. THIS IS NOT AN UPRISING- IT'S A REVOLUTION. ZZZZZZT!"

_Viva la revolution... I remember a human saying that once. It sounds right for what we're doing, even though I don't really know what it means._

"Viva la revolution," I quietly mumbled to myself.

"BZZZZT! MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE! BZZZZZZZZT!", Magnezone buzzed from above.

_Everyone quieted down and looked up to see him. This had to actually be important, so I perked up too._

"BZZZZT. I HAVE DISPATCHED SOME OFFICERS TO RALLY WITH OTHER REBELLION GROUPS ACROSS THE WORLD. WE SHALL CONVERGE ON THE SOUTHERN PENINSULA FROM ALL FRONTS TOMORROW, AND STRIKE THE TYRANT KRAUSMER ON HIS OWN TERRAIN. NO LONGER SHALL FEAR REIGN, SO LONG AS MY POLICE FORCE IS STILL OPERATIONAL! BZZZZZZZZZT!"

_Everyone broke into cheers. Must've really fired all of these kids up._

_All of a sudden, someone was poking me. Really short, 'cause I couldn't see 'em._

_I looked down. It was some pink... thing, with long ears on it's head and big blue eyes staring at me with this dumb smile on it's face. It had a white belly, too._

"Friendly friend~!", the Pokémon, apparently a he, started.

_Friends. I'm sorry, what?_

"We're gonna need your help! All of the explorer's guild is going on the biggest mission ever, and the reward is the most valuable treasure of all~!", he continued.

_I actually started paying attention. Treasure?_

"You gotta help us save the world, Friend! The world is beyond value to everyone... Besides Perfect Apples of course. Those are even more invaluable~!", he finished.

_Feh... What a kid. I was already going to kick some royal ass, not save the world. I got a score to settle. I don't give a Patrat's ass about this world. It ain't my home. No world is my home._

_My home, I realize, is in the fight. It's always been in the fight._

_My heart..._

_... It's gotta be in the fight._

"Yeah, whatever. Already told Magnezone I'd help, anyway," I answered.

"Hooray~! A new friend is going to help us on the mission!", the short, balloon-like Pokémon replied.

"EXPLOOOREEEEEERS~!", he suddenly shouted, albeit cheerily.

_A bunch of little Pokémon started to gather. Was this what they called the fighting force of the world...? A bunch of kids?_

_Don't they get TRAINED at all to do any of this?_

_Maybe that's why they rely on all those stupid chrome-domes to stop criminals... These kids are hopeless._

"We got a big new friend to help us stop all the mean ghosts from the south!", the pink Pokémon began, patting my leg.

_Don't touch me, ya bowl full o' sugar..._

_Some of the kids started looking up at me, afraid-like. Maybe they thought I was awesome, or something. I don't care. I ain't a child soldier, so._

_... Dammit!_

_I winced..._

_The memories..._

(Flashback)

"You're going to make us proud, kid! You'll go BIG!"

"Your older brother didn't manage to take it, but you... You're something else!"

"You're our little soldier, Candy. We're making sure you grow up TOUGH!"

(Flashback)

_I shook my head, my eyes squinted shut._

"I gotta go," I said before taking off to the trees.

_Dammit... Why did I have to think of that?_

_I HATE my parents! They're why I am like I am! I wouldn't be like how I am today if it wasn't for them!_

_I hate them!_

_I hate everyone!_

_I hate this stupid, dead world!_

_You can't SAVE it, either! It's dead! D-E-A-D!_

_I Megahorned a few trees in my rage. They went down easy, considering they're DEAD._

_I panted after wearing myself out from my rampage._

_I dropped onto the dusty ground... and laid on my side. I took a long breather, then got back to my feet._

_I turned back in the way I came. I walked back to Treasure Town still a bit tired, but I had to get ready to fight tomorrow._

_Yeah..._

_I was going home tomorrow. I was getting back into the fight._

_I'm comfy when I get home... It's where I belong._

_I made it back to town, and found a place where I could lie down and sleep._

_Tomorrow... Tomorrow._

_Tomorrow, I'm gonna get me some._


	22. ICanderackI About damn time

Antivenom

Chapter XXII

"It's about damn time."

_We already got ourselves on the move. The Treasure Town lot is all marchin' south. We barely said anything._

_We knew what we had to do._

_And we were gonna do it._

_At least, I never said nothin'. I just heard the other ones blubbering about various junk._

_I took a breath. All I could hear was the hum of the cops hovering around us, following along with the rest._

_There's somethin' that's makin' us all quiet. It's like some kinda power... Some sorta mood, that's makin' us so focused on what we're headin' to do._

_We're gettin' rid of that army._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Some officers came to us out from the trees. They must've been the messenger guys._

"ZZZZZT. STATUS REPORT. ZZZZZZT," Magnezone ordered.

"BZZZZZ. WINTERTON IS CROSSING THE SEA VIA FREEZING THE WATER TO FORM A BRIDGE. THEY ARE APPROACHING GHOST TOWER FROM BEHIND AS WE REPORT. BZZZZZZZ," One officer reported.

"BZZZZZT. THE NUTCRACKERS WILL BE FOLLOWING BEHIND FOR A SURPRISE ATTACK DURING THE BATTLE," A second added.

"ZZZZZZT. GOOD. JOIN RANKS WITH THE REST AT YOUR DISCRETION OFFICERS. THAT IS ALL. ZZZZZT!"

_Then maybe about a handful of 'em broke into ranks. 'Zone and I were up front. Him 'cause he's the "strategist". Me?_

_'Cause I got a score to settle._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_There it is. After a few hours, we came into view of the tower. No enemy in sight... yet._

_'Course, I thought too soon. Bunch of gem-eyes just crawled right outta the ground like ghosts._

"ZZZZZT. HALT. ZZZZZZ..."

_We all froze. I cocked my head back to see how many we had._

_..._

_A bit, but barely enough. We better get that backup soon._

...

...

...

"You all wait here," I told 'Zone.

_I started to walk towards the gem-eye army, alone._

"ZZZZZT! NEGATIVE! FALL BACK, BANDIT! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!", Magnezone ordered.

_I kept walkin', then I stopped halfway._

_I took in a breath._

"WHERE THE HELL'S YOUR FAT SACK OF CRAP YOU CALL A LEADER?", I shouted.

"I DON'T GOT NOTHIN' AGAINST ANY OF YOU GRUNTS! I WANT YOUR BIG CHEESE! NOOOW!", I continued.

_They looked amongst themselves, kinda like they were whispering._

_I waited._

_And waited..._

_... and waited some more._

_Then, out of nowhere... He showed up in a puff of black smoke._

"Well well well... What is it that I see before me?", Krausmer rhetorically asked.

He continued, "The beast. I could have sworn I had cast you into the void like the used tool you are to me. And now, here you stand. Before me, before my army. On my world. I must ask you..."

"... Why do you stand before me? Your being here is next to impossible. None should be able to escape the rift."

_I opened my mouth._

"'Cause I got a bone to pick with you, lardy," I spat.

_He seemed to almost flinch, cocking his head back a bit._

_After regaining his composure, he looked back to his goons, and threw out his arms._

"Would you look at that! It's capable of intelligent communication!", Krausmer exclaimed before turning back to face Canderack.

"You are simply full of surprises today, aren't you!"

"Shut it. I'm gonna kick your fat can fifty feet into the ground."

_Dead silence._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

"Huhu... Huuuhuhuhu... RHUUUHAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAAAAAH!", Krausmer boisterously laughed.

"A cretin like you does not deserve the right to be struck by me. One blow is more than what you are worthy for! Though... I'll strike you a deal, since this amuses me very much. Find me within Ghost Tower, and I shall accept your challenge. PROVE to me that you are actually worth my time, or be gone."

"Now you wait just a damn seco-"

_And then he disappeared._

_... I took a breath, turned around, and slowly started walking back to the group._

"ZZZZZZT... DO NOT PLACE YOURSELF AT UNNECESSARY RISK. ZZZZZZZT..."

_I waited a second._

"There ain't nothin' unnecessary about nothin', 'Chief'," I told him.

_Then I turned around, and ran at full sprint, Megahorn primed to plow through the gem-eye bunch like they were dust._

"GET SOME!"

_And then I took it all from there. I swear I could hear music as I mowed them out of the way, blew them to the sides and ran 'em over. Straight in a line for that damn tower._

_The gem-eyes seemed really out of it 'cause I came at 'em from practically nowhere._

_All I did was keep goin'. I wasn't lettin' nothin' get in my way. The sound of Magnezone's buzzing got drowned out by all the shouts goin' on around me and the tramping of my feet._

_There were just so many, I had to come to a stop. They all decided to push away from me, forming a big ring around me. I lifted up my head after I caught my breath and looked about._

_I saw aaaaallll of the gem-eyes staring at me, their gem-eyes glinting in the sunlight._

_... I'm in DEEP-_

_Then it was just a bunch of 'em leapin' at me like a bunch of loons. I'll skip the details about kicking all of their asses royally, since that's what happened._

_I made my way to that damn tower, trudging through as many as I could. Some of 'em just backed off._

_Serves 'em right, getting in my way. Last time they had the element of surprise. No such shit today._

_There I was. The doorway to the tower._

_..._

_... Damn this thing's tall._

_I made my way in. It felt like I was being watched the whole time, climbin' up. Each room seemed almost the same. It looked gloomy in here... Weird statues of winged two-legged things on the walls and on these pillars, things hanging from the ceiling by a chain holding spooky candles..._

_And the smell. Smells like something rotting up here. Probably the dopes who got caught by these goons._

_Sucks to be them._

_I just kept climbing. It's gonna take forever even FINDING that tub of lard... He's probably hiding high up so I'll get tired from going up all these stairs. I ought to take a break or two to keep myself ready._

_... Could also have a trap waiting. Ambushes..._

_I stopped. I must've gone up to maybe the twelfth story, and carefully checked out the room for anyone that might be hiding. On the ceiling, behind random junk lying around..._

_This place felt so damn boring. It looked so big on the outside, but I keep climbing through this small set of rooms and stairs! What's this thing, just a show-off piece of land to shout "Hey! Lookit me, waving my egg-maker around like everyone's gotta see!"?_

_Whatever. I sat down to take a breath or two. Did I ever tell you climbing stairs really tires me out? Dammit... I need to lose some weight. I hate going up these hand-made hills._

_Wait..._

_... What am I gonna do when I finish this crap? This world's dead and rotting, and I'll probably be dead long before it's back to good health. What's the point of me going up there and throwing one hell of a beatdown on this chump?_

_Maybe it's 'cause it's the only thing I have left going for me. After that, I got nothin'. No friends, no family... Nothin'._

_Those other folks got somethin' to live for. All I got is the fight._

_The only place I can call home.._

_I shook my head. I can't lose my spunk now. I can burn out once I kick this jackass' fat ass!_

_I got back to my feet and started climbing again. I didn't really know how long it'd take me to get to that bastard, but I knew I'd get there sometime._

_All it was was a matter of time._

_Then again, I knew I should anticipate an ambu-_

"Jusssst where are you getting off to, Beasssst?", a voice oh-too-familiar remarked.

_I cocked my head back to see my "ol' partner in crime". That 'Siev' guy._

"Think you can make it to Lord Kraussssmer jussst like that? I'm afraid you're sssadly missssstaken," he continued.

"Shove it where the sun don't shine. My fight ain't with you, it's with your 'Boss'. You either back off, or I'm gonna give you more than a black eye," I told him.

"Rubbing sssalt in old woundsssss? Remember beassst, how I brought you to your kneessss ssssimply by ssstrangling your ssssorry throat? Thisss time, I'm going to make ssssure you ssssssssuffocate to your demisssssse!", he threatened.

"Your hissin' is pissin' me off. You wanna fight?", I said, turning around.

I continued: "You got one, pal. Come get some."

"CHAAAAAAH!"

_And then he was on me like honey on a tree. Lucky for me, I saw him coming, so I crouched my legs and ducked under his leap. Kinda depressing..._

_I turned around._

"That all you got, snakey? C'mon, fight me like a REAL tough guy would. Or ya too scared?", I taunted.

"Wordssss are ussselessssss!", he returned, spitting poison stings at me.

_I turned my head to the side, letting my shell deflect the stings. I couldn't feel it at all, they just... Yeah. Bounced off._

_I turned my head back, lifted my body up and stomped down, and spat a stream of Venoshock at him. Considering he's a snake, he probably won't take too much damage. But that's not what I'm after._

_He sputtered and gurgled as I made him 'purpled'._

_Heh heh... I made a funny._

_He hissed and whipped his body around. I got some in his eyes- just what I wanted._

_I rammed into the hopeless sap with a good charge with Megahorn. Threw him into the wall, it did._

"GRAAH!", he screeched.

"Whassamatter, gettin' tired already?"

_And I let my guard down. He quickly regained his composure and smacked me across the face with his tail._

_I obviously went 'oof', 'cause... yeah._

_Then he bit onto my neck._

_I shouted out in pain- A scolipede's cry._

"GET THE HELL OFF!"

_I curved my upper body to the side he wasn't biting, then slammed my neck into the wall._

_Or more properly, his head._

_It made him stop biting me, that's for sure. I quickly eyed where he bit me._

_... He drew blood._

_Oh, he's getting it now. I went over to him quick-like, and tried to stomp on his wide uppe body, but he zipped out of the way just in time._

_Then he swept my legs out from under me and I fell on my side, with a pretty good 'thud'. I think I made some random pot fall, 'cause I heard something break._

_I wiggled my legs for a second because I sorta lost myself, and that costed me._

_Snakey wrapped the end of his tail around my throat and started to squeeze._

_You little..._

"You ssssee, beasssst? You are a brutal animal. I am a cunning, cccccivilized member of the world you do not belong to!"

"You sure seemed 'civil' when you tried to eat that Juniper girl."

_He tightened his grip. I must've struck a nerve._

"Issss THAT what she callssss hersssself? My lucky victim who happened to get away thankssss to you?"

"Sure. What'cha gonna do about it? She ain't anywhere near h-"

_Then he squeezed more. I coughed and spat, trying to breathe._

"I'm going to KILL you, beasssst. Then I'll feasssst on your corpsssse assss a... deliciousssss irony for what you've done to me."

"You really that sore about it? I mean-"

_He squeezed again and let go a bit, trying to shut me up._

"You gave me a black eye, you sssniveling worm!"

"You just LOVE insulting people. Is it 'cause you got teased when you were a kid?"

_He shoved my head against the wall._

"BE SSSSILENT! SSSSTOP SSSSTALLING YOUR DEATH!"

_He lowered his face to mine, staring me down._

_Just what I was waiting for._

"Now lissssten to me, you wretched-"

_Then I spat a quick squirt of venoshock at his upper head area- the eyes._

_Bouffalant's eye._

"SSSLAAAAAAH! NOT ONCCCCE, BUT TWICCCCCE!"

_He let go of me, trying to rub the poison out of his eyes._

_I scrambled back to my feet, got around him, then charged into him so I could pin him between myself and the wall._

_So I did._

"Gack!"

"You know, there's a few things you should know about fighting. Lemme teach you," I started.

"Lesson one," I said.

_I bit onto the side of his body, and yanked. He followed, yelping in pain at what I did._

"Never brag when you're about to win. That's what gets you screwed. Lesson two," I continued.

_I threw him overhead into the wall opposite to us with a scooping Megahorn._

"Never be easy to figure out how you fight. Stay on your damn tail-tip. And to conclude today's lesson...!", I said, almost finished with this sorry waste of time.

_I curled up into a wheel._

"NEVER mess with a guy named Canderack!"

_I steamrolled into him, grinding him into the wall. I stopped when I didn't hear him, and I uncurled._

_Out cold._

_I spat a tiny blot of Venoshock on him._

"Serves you right."

_I panted. That was a weak appetizer. The main course better be more worth it._

_I took a few breaths, then started climbing again. I looked over my 'shoulder' every few bits to see if he Siev was faking a knockout and was stalking me. Or if anyone else was going to try and play shortstop to my home run._

_Lucky me. Nobody seemed to want to._

_I had kept climbing up and up, and I took two or three more breaks to keep myself fresh._

_I could see that fighting was going on outside, I was just too high up to hear much of it. I could see them all... I saw fire, I saw ice, I saw razor leaves..._

_I didn't see a fight._

_I didn't see a scrap._

_I didn't see a brawl._

_I didn't see a spar..._

_I saw a warzone. A terrible, ugly warzone._

_These Pokémon never should've had to see what a war was like. Even if it's not that long-lasting, there's no doubt that the captured are dead or dying. They'll probably be dead by the time it's all over. I felt a little sorry for myself and for everyone involved._

_War is hell. Fighting is glorious, but war is hell._

_I had to end this war. For the sake of all those wimps out there. They don't deserve it, even if they didn't stop bothering me when I was an outlaw._

_This tower... I sorta felt a kind of nostalgia. I remember... I used to be at the bottom. No place, and there was an exit right in sight if you wanted to take it._

_I stood at the bottom for a long time, looking at the exit, and looking up, then at the exit, then back up over and over again._

_I almost took the exit, but then..._

_I slowly started to climb up._

_And here I am now, living my own comparison. My prize might not even be at the top, maybe just close to it._

_I didn't care. I wanted to finish this. Forget them, forget the Ghost Army, forget Juniper, forget Siev..._

_I wanted Krausmer._

_That fat ghostly blob with an ugly laugh and a face to match._

_Once I'm done with this..._

_I'm gonna bask in the glory of being on top. Then... I'm gonna exit this tower for good. This is the last fight I ever gotta fight._

_It got darker and gloomier as I kept going up. I could almost FEEL that jackass' presence._

_He made me sick to my gut._

_I spat a blot of venoshock onto the wall, just to get rid of my queasiness._

_I finally came into a dark room, with a long tube at the end of it._

_... Wait just a damn second..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

Clap...

Clap...

Clap...

Clap.

_I saw his beady red eye, suddenly appearing in the tube. He floated out, slowly clapping._

"Would you look at this. The useless beast has actually managed to make it's way up to me. I must say: I'm impressed. I had never thought you could pass through my army, or win against Siev," he lauded.

"Shut it. I don't want you to butter me up. You ain't like me. And you know what I'm gonna do with you?", I asked.

"Oh, please. Do tell me."

"I'm gonna take you..."

"Go on."

"Beat the stuffing out of that enormous gut you got..."

"And?"

"I'm gonna make you disappear! FOR GOOD!", I shouted.

"Huhu... Huhahaaaaaah..."

"SHUT UP!", I shouted again.

_I spat venoshock at him. He moved out of the way quickly enough._

"Tut tut. You should know better than to try and catch ME by surprise," Krausmer scolded.

_I ran at him, lowering my head for a Megahorn._

_He held up his hands though, and this red circle-wall formed in front of them._

"Imbecile!"

_I crashed into it. It made me stop, but it broke and he reeled back._

"Choo-uh!", he grunted.

_I took this opportunity to rear my head back, and drive a Megahorn home, throwing him into the wall._

"OOGH!", he groaned, prying himself free of the wall quickly.

"Good play. Though I shall warn you: I learn from my mistakes!"

"Stop talking! FIGHT!", I ordered.

"Oh, as you wish," he teased, bowing tauntingly.

_I snarled. He ain't gettin' me..._

_I spat some Venoshock at him again to prod at his defenses._

_... But he waved his arm and deflected it to the side._

"Hm!"

_Then he threw two large shadow balls at me. I rolled out of the way of one, but the other blew up and knocked me into the air of the room._

"Heh heh heh..."

_All of a sudden, everything seemed to slow down._

_He was already next to me. He could dash at you pretty fast, huh...?_

"Hoh!", he grunted, swinging a Shadow Fist.

_I wormed myself out of the way, luckily enough._

_I pulled my head back and stabbed at him with my horns- but he moved to the side._

_He curled up into a ball, and I knew he was gonna punch me, so I wiggled out of the way-_

_Except that wasn't what he was doing. He surrounded himself in a large shadow ball, then had it shatter- blowing me across the room, into the wall._

"Did you honestly think that I was lying when I said I learn from my mistakes?", he reminded.

_I got back to my feet. I ain't out of this yet... Not by a mile._

"I'm just gettin' started, pal."

"Very well. Let battle be joined again!"

_I curled into a wheel, and started to steamroll at him. He dropped down to ground level earlier._

_He stuck up one hand, causing this weird blue-electric five-pointed shape appear._

"Think again!"

_I was waiting for him to do that though. I uncurled and slammed my tail on the ground so I'd get a lift up and over him- and I kicked him in the back after I had passed over, knocking him forward._

"Burk!"

_I hit my shell on the wall, and curled back up. I bounced off, and ran him over while he was stumbling forward._

"Bawgh...!"

_I rolled at the other wall, and uncurled doing the same thing I did earlier- but I kicked off the wall, and flew at him from the air, upside-down._

_I saw him just getting up from the floor..._

_Then I took him down again, and I bit into him. And I bit as many times as I could, and I heard him shout in pain and suffering._

"You like that?"

"Get your hideout carapace off of me!"

_Then- and I didn't expect this- he THREW ME OFF._

_I rolled on the floor, on my side. I skidded to a halt using my legs, then I got back to my feet._

"Hurgh... Hurgh...," Krausmer panted.

"You have enough yet? Or should I teach you a few more lessons in PAIN?"

"I have come too far to be ironically defeated by the one tool I had uncaringly tossed away!"

_What's with these guys and the word "irony"?_

"Oh, save the speeches for when I got you under my feet. Now, WHERE WERE WE!", I shouted.

_I charged at him, and jumped up, and dove down at him with Megahorn._

_He seemed to shield himself somehow by using a surrounding shadow-ball and exploding it just as I landed._

"Heh heh heh!"

_I got knocked down to the ground from the push-back._

_He folded his arms, and- Aw hell!_

"You are powerless!", Krausmer taunted.

_He started this mini-tornado around himself, and I got pulled in. Bits of the wall started smacking me around while I was helpless in the air. I grunted a few times when I got hit with heavy stuff, but I could take it. It blew me away when he was done._

"Horugh!", he grunted.

_I landed on my feet, grunting._

"Pretty good. Maybe you DO got some fight in you," I remarked.

"Yes, yes. Now, let us proceed. I shall dispense with you properly- I shall END your life, instead of the more merciful option of sealing you within the rift!"

"I ain't goin' back there. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not in a MILLION years."

_I spat some venoshock at him- but deliberately so it'd whizz over his head. He did that arm-swing block, but he didn't shoot the shadow balls at me._

_... That must be it! He fights by blocking me!_

_He can't really fight me if I don't attack first._

_I gotta fake him out._

_I ran at him again. As I guessed, he did that electric block, but I stopped before I hit it._

_It went away pretty quick, so I lunged forward and bit him, using my weight to pin him to the ground. I bit as deep as I could._

"RRRARRRRRGH!", he howled.

"Does it hurt? DOES IT?", I said, getting carried away.

_Then, like the last time, he threw me off. I got to my feet properly._

"I have had enough of this child's play! I shall finish you NOW!", he shouted.

"You coulda said that earlier or later. It ain't happenin', bub," I said, telling him off.

"You do not understand, 'Canderack'. I haven't even tapped into the true might of the Void."

"Yeh? You're making a big deal outta 'Nothing', pal. What's 'Nothing' gonna do to me?"

_... Wait a second..._

_What's he doing?_

_He's getting bigger..._

_Oh, Arceus. This ain't good._

"Oh, it's not what the VOID is going to do to you," he said, his voice gaining a rather creepy undertone.

_The mouth on his belly got razor-sharp teeth sticking up and down, his eye split into three circling around in his noggin, and these wavy black things popped out of his back and started whipping around really violently..._

_And his head sorta turned into one of those whippy-things, but gray._

"Behold, mortal worm! I, Lord Krausmer... No, VOID KING Krausmer, wield absolutely SUPREME POWER!", he shouted.

_I took in a breath, and I spread my legs out a bit, in my fighting stance._

"So you got uglier. You ready for round two?"

"I shall take pleasure in destroying your soul!", he shouted at me.

_This is it. The REAL fight... The fight to the death._

_I'm gonna get me a piece of THIS action!_


	23. ICanderackI Round Two

Antivenom

Chapter XXIII

"Round Two"

"Mmh!", Krausmer grunted, violently swinging an arm outwards.

_And then something blew up behind me and shoved me towards him._

"Bow down!"

_Then smashed me in the stomach with a Shadow Ball, shoving me back across the room again._

_Son of a bitch, he's stepped up his game...!_

_I noticed though, there were some holes in the wall that were letting in sunlight. I figured this would've been one of my only chances to beat this guy._

_I'll have to get bits and pieces of charge for a Solarbeam. That'll be the move that'll bring this chump down a few notches._

"That all you got?", I taunted.

"No. I am- MERELY BEGINNING!", he shouted back, waving an arm back and forth once.

_Then some sort of purple fire threw me upwards, and then all of a sudden he vanished._

_Stay sharp, stay sharp...!_

_And he popped up before me, with electricity around his big mitts._

"No mercy."

_Then he electrocuted me and launched me into the wall again- then he grabbed me by the leg, whinged me around in a circle once before chucking me at the floor._

_I curled up before I hit the ground and rolled back onto my feet, spreading out the shock so I wouldn't get too hurt._

_More cracks in the wall... More light was getting in._

_I took a second to absorb some, then I got a Megahorn ready. I knew he'd be right on me-_

_There!_

_Just as he teleported in front of me, I stabbed the fat bastard in the gut, shoving him back._

_He didn't even grunt- did that even HURT him?_

_I took the next move before he could recover and splashed some Venoshock on him before slamming into him with Steamroller-_

_Except he stopped me in my damn tracks, holding me!_

"Pitiful beast who knows only hatred, rage and solitude! Let me tell you," he started.

_He lifted me up. Oh you gotta be kidding me!_

"Anger and hatred cannot defeat ME!"

_Then he chucked me again at the wall. Since I was curled up, I bounced off with my shell and charged at him again, but I swerved just as he made a swipe._

_I tipped over on my side on purpose, swinging my lower body at him while I was in a good position, slapping him to the side._

_I got back up to my feet. I shot a bunch of Pin Missiles at him to poke at his defense. They didn't particularly work, but I rarely use that move anyway._

"You are merely delaying the inevitable. Surrender now, and I may show mercy."

"Go to hell."

"Very well. You shall see me there!"

_He threw a shadow ball at me underhandedly, but I used my horns to knock it away._

_He was already on me when I turned my head back._

_Wait a sec... He's on the attack!_

_I know what to do!_

_I braced for impact, and he slugged me with an overhead smash, on my head. I flinched for a second, but I knew what to do._

_I suddenly stabbed him with my horns, using Payback._

"Burgh!", Krausmer sputtered, reeling back.

_I leapt forward and took him to the floor again, and I started biting him again. I'll have to keep this up if I want to win._

_He threw me off, but I knew I gave him a whooole lotta pain._

_I kept myself on my feet, as Krausmer got back in the air again._

"I'll smash you into pieces!", he shouted.

_His eyes flashed and he threw his arms out- before pulling sections of the damn WALLS out!_

_He started moving towards me, spinning them around himself like an attack-shield. I backed up to stay out of the way, but I felt my tail touch the wall._

_Ohhhh shit._

_But he stopped moving towards me, and the wall pieces slowed down-_

"Fool!"

_Then he shot them all away from himself, and one was right in front of me. It slammed into my body, and let me tell you: it knocked the wind outta me right good._

_It slid down, and I took a breath._

"Show SOME attempt to resist! You were full of energy, earlier. Are you truly growing weary of battling this soon?", he questioned me.

"You get a power-up, I get zip. You tell me."

"You're pathetic. I thought I had taken a beast of might that could actually fight, but I get a pathetic insect that can't stand up to his foes."

_I took a breath. This guy just will NOT shut up!_

_I began to give off a red power, as I crouched and leapt at him, screeching at ear-bleeding sound. I was throwing my Giga Impact at him- hopefully it'll actually WORK._

_I rammed into him at top speed, and it threw him THROUGH the walls!_

_I panted some, then I opened my mouth and said_, "You were SAYING?"

_I panted some more, I had to catch my breath. Giga Impact takes a load out of me._

_But all of a sudden, I was getting grabbed by-_

"You did not ssssimply humiliate me a SSSSECOND time! The Lord and I shall desssstroy you for good!"

_Then fatass got his fat ass out of the hole I had him make._

"Finally awake, Siev? It's about time you came to serve your lord."

"Yessss, massster. Now, dessstroy the beassssst while you have the chancccce!"

_The holes in the walls were letting in a lot of light. I absorbed as much sunlight as I could. This was gonna be tight._

_... Fatty drew his arm back and started making a HUGE Shadow Ball. Oh, Arceus..._

_I'm so damn dead._

"Goodbye, wretch!"

_I shut my eyes and waited for it to come. I couldn't get my solarbeam fast enough._

...

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...

...

...

...

...

"HEE-YAH!", shouted a voice.

"CHAAAAH!", Siev hissed.

_I quickly opened my eyes, and dove to the side as the Shadow Ball flew past me and destroyed the wall behind me._

"Hrrsssssssss!", Siev hissed again.

"That's for treating to eat my big sister!", the voice shouted.

_I cocked my head to see-_

_It's a gray guy, and he's ripped. Got four big arms, and this black... thing with a gold buckle on it._

_Hold on a second..._

_That son of a BITCH!_

_He ditched me when we ran from the cops, and now he's here to save my LIFE?_

_I can't believe this. That Mac kid finally showed back up?_

"Canderack! We came as fast as we could!", A familiar female voice called from the stairway.

_Juniper, too..._

_Well. It's three on two now._

"How surprising. You could make friends? I never thought you had the capacity," Krausmer regarded, flatly.

"He saved my life! It was only the right thing to do to be thankful for him!", Juniper returned.

_Fatty looked at Siev for a second._

"... You couldn't prevent the beast from stopping you eating a mere GARDEVOIR?"

"Ssssir, I didn't fathom he'd sssstop me."

"Once this is over, we need to talk, Siev."

"Yesssss, my lord..."

"Stop chatting! Let's GO!", Mac shouted as he started to do battle with Siev.

"It does not matter to me if there are two of you now. I shall erase you BOTH!", Krausmer shouted.

_I spat some Venoshock at him, but he moved out of the way. Juniper threw a Shadow Ball, but he grabbed it, whinged it around and chucked it back at her._

_I smacked it out of the way with my horns._

"Hold him for a few minutes. I got a surprise waiting," I whispered.

"Canderack..."

"Just do it!"

"... Alright. You better hold to your promise!"

_I got into a spot where I could get the most sunlight. I had more than enough to shoot a solarbeam now, but I wanted to make sure I'd put this guy down._

_Juniper started to fight him. She was a lot better at moving out of the way of his attacks than I was, but I'm a big guy. It only makes sense._

_Can't hit what's that much smaller than you, right?_

_... Mac had grabbed Siev by the tail, and started to swing him around._

"Get out of here, and let me NEVER see you again!", he yelled.

_Then he threw him with all his might at the wall behind me- which was open to the outside. Except he crashed through the wall that was still there, rather than the holes._

_I heard him scream and hiss as he flew out and fell, most likely into the battlefield down below._

_... I see what Juniper's doing now. She's having fatty turn his back to me so he won't see my Solarbeam coming._

_Mac joined in using various punches, like a flaming fist, an icy fist and an electric fist too. They could whittle him down a bit before I gave him the last word._

_I still can't believe that kid came outta damn nowhere. Where the hell's he been all this time? Hiding under a rock?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Damn, I feel stupid. I've been hiding under a ton of rocks and behind a secret doorway MADE of rocks._

_Note to self: Bash head on wall to get rid of this memory._

"Horugh...!", Krausmer grunted, curling up into a ball.

"Watch out-!", Juniper started... but too late.

"SUFFER!"

_He threw his arms out, sending some kinda short-range but strong shockwave, blowing Juniper and Mac into the walls._

_... Bingo._

_My horns were just glowing with the power I collected from the sun._

"Hey, FATASS!", I shouted.

_He cocked his head to look over his shoulder, and I already saw his three spinning eyes freeze in place staring at me._

"Wake up 'n smell the sunshine!"

_Then I blasted that bastard with a big Solarbeam ray. I swear I was firing it for at least fifteen seconds- and that's LONG for one of my Solarbeams._

_For some reason, it blew up when it hit him._

_You know, I need to beat the tar out of Arceus for making this crap randomly blow up whenever I do something that looks like the finishing- GCK!_

_Fatty had already come out of nowhere and grabbed me by the throat with both arms, strangling me with a tight grip. He glared at me really hard with those three beady eyes of his._

"Did you think _that_ would work?", he spoke as if through clenched teeth.

"Gck... Bah... Urp!", I sputtered, trying to breathe.

"I am DONE with this nonsense! You have been nothing but trouble since I had first summoned you, and this has gone on for TOO long! I had figured you wouldn't be too difficult to defeat, yet your will is still RESISTING! STOP RESISTING ME, YOU INSIPID CREATURE!", he almost screamed, tightening his grip.

_I felt my eyes roll up to the back of my head. I needed air! SHIT!_

"Let him go, Krausmer!", Juniper screamed.

_He loosened his grip a bit. I quietly tried to get some air through my nose._

"Oh, is that what you desire?", he sadistically muttered.

_He quickly held me out the hole in the wall, above the battleground. I couldn't really see how long the drop was, but I knew I probably wouldn't survive it._

"Shall I 'Let him go', little girl?"

"N... no...! Let him live!"

"For what reason! You have no control over this situ-", Krausmer started but suddenly paused.

He continued: "Wait. What is this?"

_He chucked me into the back of the room. I wheezed and took a bit to breathe._

"I-impossible!"

_He was looking out towards the ocean._

"How is it opening again! Spacial rift should be sealed shut! There's only o-"

_Then he froze, and looked like he was twitching._

_Then he threw out his arms._

"SEEENTAAALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!", he shouted at the top of his... lungs, I think?

_I slowly got back to my feet, my legs wobbly._

_All of a sudden, that one ghost lady with the big purple hat came out of nowhere._

"Looking for me?", she asked.

"Just WHAT do you plan to accomplish by opening the Spacial Rift a second time? Did you want to steal the power of SPACE just to combat me?", he furiously asked.

"No. I'm here to do what I was doing for you a long time ago- Teach you something that you should know not to abuse. You made a fatal mistake...", she spoke.

_She waved some... arm, flap out to the rip in space._

_Fatty seemed to flinch at what he saw. I couldn't really SEE past them, I was just guessing what they were pointing and moving at._

_Then I heard a loud roar._

"Wh... What is...", Krausmer sputtered.

"Palkia. Without the Void, the antithesis to Matter, the dragon of Space has lost all sense of self and it's true power has started to go out of control, driving it into a bestial craze to restore itself to it's former state of equilibrium. You, Krausmer, tampered with the forces of nature. Would you like to know what else?", Gwendalyn lectured.

"Nature has ways of putting itself back into order. Arceus have mercy on your damned soul."

_Then she vanished into a cloud of black smoke that cleared away really fast._

_And just a few seconds later, the wall burst down and-_

_What the hell is THAT?_

_It's a giant, dragon-like thing... Pinkish in color, but it's got these crystal-y bits all over it, and they look pretty sharp and scary. It's got long claws made out of 'em, too... And it's eyes look like they're out for someone's blood. The wing-things on it's back are bigger and mostly covered with the crystal stuff- the crystals are purple, by the way._

_I stared at it. I felt something in my gut... What is this?_

_Is this... fear?_

_Am I -afraid- of this thing?_

_Holy son of a..._

_I'm SCARED of this thing!_

_It raised it's head, and slowly shook it side to side, roaring before glaring down at fatty._

_He started to chuckle._

_Then he started to cackle._

"RHUUUHAHAHAHAHAAAAAH! AAAHAAHAAAAAAH! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! Disrupt nature, she claims! I shall show her, I shall show you mortal fools, and most of all, I SHALL BRING THE END OF THE DRAGON OF SPACE!", Krausmer shouted.

_This guy's gone Swoobatshit..._

_He held out his hand, opened upwards._

"Fallen god..."

_Then he made a fist._

"KNEEL before me!", he boasted.

_It opened it's mouth, and shouted one thing._

"DISRUUUUUUUUPTION!"

_I took a breath. If it's back for that... "Void" stuff..._

_I got a feeling, ever since I was told my shell turned black and stuff, that I got a bit of this "Void" too._

_This is gonna be my biggest fight ever. It's-_

_DAMMIT!_

(Flashback)

"We're gonna make you tough enough to beat even LEGENDARY Pokémon!"

"But you gotta fight normal ones for now until you're tough enough to beat the ones trained by humans. Then you beat the BEST human trainer out there, then you should be good to go!"

"We're counting on you, soldier!"

(Flashback)

_I shook my head._

_Fatty and the dragon were already duking it out._

"... Juniper," I started.

"What?"

"Listen. I don't think I'm gonna come out of this one in one piece. You and Mac get the hell out of here before you get hurt," I ordered.

"I-I can't! You saved my-"

"FUCK that! I don't give a Patrat's ass about me having saved your white skinny ass before. I did it before, and I'm doin' it again! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!", I shouted.

"He's right, June. We can't fight Palkia... Even if I've toughened up after all this time," Mac sorrowfully agreed.

"Mac! You can't just-"

"Let's go, June. Canderack knows what he's doing."

"... You come out of this alive, you hear me!"

"No promises," I said.

_They both went down the stairway to leave the tower._

_While Fatty and the dragon fought, I could take a breather._

_And I needed all the breather time I could get..._

_Might be the last one I ever get._


	24. IKrausmerI Feral Palkia

Antivenom

Chapter XXIV

"Feral Palkia"

_Hurgh! Such might...!_

_For a crazed beast, the Dragon of Space is an extremely cumbersome foe..._

_We've already been battling for what I fathom to be only a few minutes. It's attacks are brutal and unrelenting- I can't even hold my guard spells against it's attacks, they shatter the moment they strike and I have to conjure another._

_It's an unrelenting assault... But that shall be it's downfall. It will wear itself down over time, expending all of its energy to attack me. No adversary of mine shall claim true victory... I draw them to their inevitable defeat!_

_It continues to swipe with it's claws, and I manage to shove it back every once in a while. It merely gets its posture back almost immediately to begin attacking again._

_I could do with a moment of breathing time..._

"Hoh!", I grunted as I prepared my 'Perfect Guard'.

_As predictable as the sun's rising each day, it swiped at me with a claw- which I blocked with a self-encompassing shadow ball explosion to rebound the force. I took the opportunity of the dragon's flinching to follow up with four Shadow Punches in succession._

"Imbecile!"

_I drew backwards quickly, so I would not be caught by its retaliation._

_It regained it's composure, then launched itself at me. I used one of my guards- but it once again was shattered and it broke through._

_The sheer force threw me through the hole in the wall, outside the tower._

_It was overwhelming!_

_I've miscalculated once again..._

_Everything is falling apart around me! How is this happening!_

_I've managed to hold my power for a long enough time for it to seem impossible for anyone to stop me. And yet, here I am..._

_Being heckled and accosted by the pawns in my plan! Shall gravity itself turn upside it's head and cause everything to fall upwards into the emptiness of space?_

_Though I must contemplate this later, for the dragon of space is once again upon me._

"GEH!", it growled, swiping both of it's claws outward.

_I quickly moved backward, avoiding the attack and swung a Shadow Punch upwards only for it to incredulously dodge to the side!_

_It curled up for a moment... Trying to deceive me!_

_I kept calm and waited..._

"GRAARRRROW!", Palkia roared, attacking with it's crystalline wing during it's full-circle spin.

_I ducked beneath it with a bit of effort, but I managed._

_I performed my Shadow Ball Crush, curling up and exploding a self-encompassing Shadow Ball to throw Palkia away._

_Conveniently, it anticipated another fast attack and moved too early._

"AHUWARR!", Palkia groaned, getting launched away.

_Yes, this will do... I glanced back at Ghost Tower for a moment. Should I continue to battle it within the floors, or do I really have to bring this down to the ground?_

_I looked down at the battlefield._

_... The fighting seems to have stopped. Everyone seems to be staring up here or at the now-feral Palkia._

_Humph..._

_I suppose the living peons need to get an example of my might as well, which I will demonstrate by defeating Palkia- alone!_

_Again my thoughts were interrupted as Palkia was once again upon me. My lesson is learned: Do not let my thoughts wander during a battle!_

_It grabbed a hold of me and shredded me with it's claws violently. I tried to remain quiet- I must maintain a steely attitude in front of both my men and my foes!_

_Though I did not expect for it to finish it's assault with a downward spike..._

_I plummeted down to the earth before crashing into the ground._

_I must admit: It was painful._

_I groaned as I recuperated from the fall. I looked up to see that, as expected, Palkia was diving down towards me headfirst._

_This is going to take too long, and I will sustain too many injuries to defeat it normally. I need to take the easy way out._

_I shall cast Palkia into the Void and wash my hands of this business, then return to slaying that infernal beast I had summoned thru the rift._

_I drew my left arm across my chest, and backhanded Palkia with a mighty blow to drive it back._

"Your time is done, Dragon!", I shouted.

_I threw my arms out, conjuring a large zone of the Void behind Palkia as it tumbled up in the air backwards and fell into it._

_I flew up, arms still cast out to maintain the portal's size and to make sure that Palkia was truly inside..._

_Then I shrunk the portal down to fit between my hands._

"Surrender to the Void, and drift aimlessly... Forever," I calmly uttered- before sealing the portal by shattering the orb.

_I looked down at all of the others below._

"Know my true power- not even the legendary Dragon of Space can pose a threat to me! Surrender now, and your suffering will be miniscule!", I shouted down.

_All of the rebels seemed to look amongst eachother, as if their very hopes were crushed by my feat._

_This was rich. So rich, it made me want to laugh!_

_I decided to help myself._

"Rhuuuhahaha! HAAAHAAAAHAHAHAAAAAHAAAAAAH!"

(Canderack)

_Son of a..._

_He did that thing in just by doing THAT?_

_... Why didn't he do that to me when we were fighting? Did he actually need to SHOW OFF just to kill me?_

_Or was he just afraid I'd get back out and start stalking after him again?_

_Whatever the hell. The longer he takes to gloat, the more time I got to get my energy back._

(Krausmer)

_Hm..._

_Now that I've dealt with Palkia, I need to finish up with the beast back in my tower._

_Maybe I should get it to haul some stone back up the tower to have repairs done._

_Maybe I should build a balcony instead?_

_Hum..._

_... What?_

_I looked around. I felt the very-_

_No! It's escaping the rift!_

_I saw as a tear in space began to form nearby, with Palkia's purple crystal claws reaching out. I heard it roaring in furious anger as it was making a tremendous effort to come back._

_I could not even seal it away and be done with it?_

_Is this what the beast I summoned did to get out?_

_Grrrrrr..._

_This infuriates me! I claim the power of the Void only for it to be useless in doing what I desire?_

_Palkia quickly made a gap big enough to fit it's body through, and escaped the rift as it sealed shut._

_I took a breath, trying to remain calm._

_I heard the rebels shouting, making remarks that Palkia was back._

_The battle below soon erupted again as if the Dragon of Space and I were just clouds amongst the sky... Even though we were, I fathom, only 20 feet or so above them._

_I returned my thoughts to the battle that was going to resume just about... now._

_Palkia made another lunge, but I quickly did a perfect guard to deflect it's attack. I struck it with four shadow balls in succession as a counterattack._

_I stayed where I was, waiting for it's next attack._

_It recovered from its flight, then it did the most unusual thing- it started to swing kicks!_

_Yet with each kick came a strange wave of what I fathom to be... SOME sort of force. I'll just go with 'matter', or somesuch._

_I maneuvered out of the way of some, but I could not move fast enough. I was hit with several, and I was sent flying once again._

_Palkia flew after me, and once again cast me down to the earth- interrupting the battle once more. Taking note of the last time I believe, it dived down as quick as it could to attack me on land._

_I rolled to the side as it tried to visciously bite me. I swung at it, but it grunted and move itself forward- and my blow was deflected! I was wide open!_

_Seizing the opportunity, Palkia stomped it's foot onto me and pressed me into the ground, growling angrily._

_I tried to pry myself free, but to no avail._

_It took it's foot off of me then swept me across the ground with it's spiked tail. I couldn't regain my balance- I was rolling too quickly._

"DISRUUUUPTION!", it shouted.

_I was launched up by an incredibly damaging and large spike of... matter. It was actually a row of them that went up and down in an order- but that's not of importance._

_I fell down once again. I was already facing the verge of defeat?_

_How could this... be?_

_I... I cannot... maintain...!_

_I slumped down on my side, holding myself up with one arm, the other across my body. The otherwise lively tentacles I had on my back were... limp._

_Is this... it?_

_Is everything I worked for..._

_DREAMED for..._

_A failure?_

_It can't be..._

(Canderack)

_Geez..._

_Fatty just got his ass handed to him by the dragon. Chances are, I'm next. I saw it glare at me before it took off to fight fatty._

_I took a breath. I had to stop it from finishing him off, or else I'd have to be fighting it and losing too._

_I had to bring it down with one shot._

_I turned and trotted to the back of the room, and faced the broken wall._

_Welp..._

_Here goes nothin'._

_I charged forward, and leapt out the hole in the general direction where I thought the dragon still was. I spun in the air while I was curled up, but then I uncurled and narrowed my fall down to my horns, aimed at the dragon._

_I pulled in my legs so I would fall faster and hit him that much harder._

_I saw the big lug pretty clearly now. I was aiming right for him. This'll put the hurt on 'im..._

"HEY, BIG AND UGLY!", I called.

_The dragon looked up at me for a second._

_Of course, that was just enough to stop him from finishing fatty, but not enough so it could move._

_I crashed into it with Megahorn._

"AHUWARRRR!", it cried out.

_I rolled off of it so I could get another attack ready._

"What..! You! Why did you rescue me from Palkia?", Krausmer asked.

"'Cause he looked at me funny," I remarked.

_... And then the dragon gets back on it's feet like nothing happened! Is this thing INVINCIBLE or something?_

_It glared at me with the bloodlustiest look in it's eyes._

"Disssstoooooort," Palkia growled.

"C'mon, then! Come get some!", I taunted.

_Then I rammed into it with another Megahorn while it was glaring at me._

"Urnk!", it grunted.

_Then it scraped my face with it's claw almost after I hit it. I barely even shoved it back!_

_Then it tackled me and started trying to shred me. Lucky for me, I managed to turn so my shell was facing it._

_It got off, and I rolled to the right as it was about to pound me into the dirt with it's arms._

_I got up and spat some Venoshock at it's face, but I missed._

_I leapt forward and curled up and started to Steamroll at it, but it held up it's arms and blocked me. Sent my right on my back, it did..._

_Then it threw out it's arms, waving it's head side to side looking up at the sky as something lifted me up and started beating the stuffing out of me while I helplessly floated there in front of it while it roared like it just got kicked in it's egg maker._

_Then I got launched away and fell on the ground after it sent out the power in a shockwave. I rolled clumsily as I tried to get back on my feet from the attack._

_Too bad for me though, it was already on my ass and grabbed me by the leg, whinged me overhead and slammed me on my back._

_I let out a quick cry of pain. I swear that would've broke my damn spine...!_

_Then it kicked me damned hard and sent me rolling AGAIN!_

_I am getting my ass kicked!_

_..._

_Literally!_

_I got up to my feet. I was dizzy as hell from all the rolling and spinning..._

_'Cept it was too damn late again. It was just about to send another attack my way- probably too fast for me to dodge._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_I know what I gotta do. This is my only shot at winning this..._

_I'm gonna use a move I made a long time ago. It's really tough, but it's got a downside._

_I call it "Dig In". Lets me shrug off EVERYTHING I get hit by like it was nothing._

_The downside..._

_... I take all the damage and pain when it wears off._

_This is my only shot though..._

(Krausmer)

_And then the dragon had blasted the beast with what I guess is compressed space being released violently from it's hands. Violent enough a force to set off explosions along it's path, for sure._

_The beast couldn't defeat me. I only barely managed to survive an attack of that magnitude. How could he manage to take one himself?_

_All there was was smoke where he stood. Obliterated..._

_That saves me the trouble._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Impossible! Everything is just happening despite my prediction!_

_The beast just charged out of the smoke as if it was only touched by dust!_

_And it began an unrelenting assault upon the dragon of space! It's... It's incredible!_

_I surely MUST have underestimated its ability to fight...!_

_I may have some use for it after all._

(Canderack)

_Megahorn!_

_Steamroller!_

_Bites!_

_Earthquake!_

_EVERYTHING I got!_

_This guy is going DOWN, and nobody's gonna stop me!_

_I got this guy on the ropes, damn straight I do!_

_Then it blocked one of my Megahorns, and grabbed me- then he threw me up and I swear I hit something that wasn't there- I BROKE something!_

_Not like a bone, but... like glass!_

_The damn dragon was roaring like someone just slapped it in the face for no damned reason!_

_I started to fall into a place that- Screw it, I got no idea how to describe it. It was just some kind of weird... Arena!_

_It was all purple, but it was all flowy... Wherever I stepped there were these little flares of energy or something._

_The dragon landed with a roar at the middle. I was by one of the walls._

"C'mon, big guy. You got nothin' on me!"

_Then he charged at me. I used Iron Defense from when I was a Whirlipede, but... he broke through! He slammed me into the wall, too!_

_Then he tore me away from it, swung me around and threw me on the ground then shot a laser at me. I didn't feel anything thanks to Dig In, so I got on my feet._

_Gotta make this count... Gotta win!_

_It jumped up and pounded the ground, then some sorta magma blew up under me and threw me upwards._

_The dragon launched towards me, but I thought he'd do that. I spun around quick, and hit him with a spinning Megahorn to send him back down to the floor._

_I kicked off the wall and dove down at him to make a strong hit. It landed, but the dragon was STILL going!_

_What's this guy made of?_

_He swiped at me with his claws, but I drew my upper body back to dodge it. I turned around and kicked him in the lower body, then I charged into him with another Megahorn._

_Why isn't he slowing down at all from any of this?_

_This is pissin' me OFF!_

_I ran back, and I had to deal with him NOW!_

_I started to feel sore. Dig In was already wearing off._

_I gave off a red power, and I ran full speed with Megahorn, and Giga Impact._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Then I got intercepted as the dragon had basically just went from point A to B (B being where I was, y'know. The middle of the arena by then...), and lifted me up while stabbing me with one claw._

_Then the space around me began to make a bunch of sharp stabs into my body-_

_I cried out. Dig In almost entirely wore off by now..._

_All I could see was the dragon's face as it pulled back its other claw, and then it swung-_

_And then I blacked out just as it was about to get me in the face._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Dammit..._

_I lost._

(Krausmer)

_What an incredulous sight!_

_It ripped open space and took the beast with it to do battle. The wonders of the world never cease to amaze me, time and again. If only this were the fact that I had lost conciousness as the power over the Void started to go out of control in my weakened state._

_My lack of physical condition was my downfall here..._

_... Has the power of life, and nature, truly outdone me?_

_Does life truly overpower death, and hope shine through the despair I've sowed into these Pokémon?_

_Am I to face judgment before the legendary Dragon of Space for my hubris?_

_Urgh..._

_I cannot..._

_This can't..._

_It cannot be truly happening..._

_Everything I've worked for..._

_My life's work...!_

_It's all been undone, unbound and unravelled within a day!_

_I curse you, powers that be, to shame me and my determination!_

_I..._

_Curse you..._

_Urngh..._


	25. ICanderackI Game over

Antivenom

Finale

"Game over"

_I don't know how long I was out. I was just out for what felt like forever._

_I woke up with a heavy weight on me. I didn't try to move just yet, so I peeked my eye that was closer to the ground open._

_Ground's still dead, and I could see a big shadow and plenty of- pink colors._

_Dammit... Palkia's not letting me slide on this. Maybe if I just lie still long enough it'll leave me alone._

_As far as I know, it's just waiting for me to get up so he'll kill me out of insane rage or some shit like that._

_What a way to go. At least my jackass parents would be happy to see me fighting the stuff of legends..._

_Humph. Sucks to be them._

_They can't see me now, 'cause I'm not anywhere near home. Chances are, I'm gonna get another new home pretty damn soon._

_Somewhere beyond this stupid, dead world._

_If Palkia wouldn't kill me, someone else would've eventually. It's just how fighting goes: You keep winnin' until someone winds up being better than you, kicks your ass, and snaps your neck._

_I don't feel like doing anything as far as I care. I don't give a flying one for anyone or anything._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_You know, I just realized. I'm probably gonna kick the bucket in a few minutes anyway, and you know what else?_

_That stupid old geezer Torkoal lied to me. Told me my wish would come true with a shooting star..._

_... Or maybe I -did- wish, deep down, that I'd wind up biting the dust sooner than later. I don't know what I want anymore, anyway..._

_All I've done is fight other folks, smack talk 'em too. I never did much to help in general otherwise._

_That's all I'm damn good for... Just..._

_Just fighting things._

_I don't even feel at home fighting anymore. I realize that it's just a quick get-away from the stupid truth; the damn brutal truth._

_I'm useless and worthless and I can't do shit to change that._

_I can never change._

_You don't change a monster that only knows how to fight and hate._

_All I ever -feel- is anger! I always get angry at anything and everything!_

_My only friend has been my thoughts. Kept me company all my life..._

_All my damn, pathetic life._

_What am I supposed to -do- with myself, even if I somehow manage to get out of this in one piece?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_At least, if I die, I'm goin' to hell. And since that's true..._

_I'm gonna see my folks there when they kick it._

_And you know what else? I'm gonna kick their sorry asses so bad, they're gonna need new ones!_

_At least I can use my damn ability to fight to satisfy myself, since I can't help anyone by being able to hurt others. You never win when you fight, even if you really do._

_You wanna know why?_

_'Cause then you got someone else's blood on your claws. Not that I kill folks because they pissed me off, I ain't that much of an asshole. Or else they'd have to have pissed me off REALLY bad to get that prize._

_When you got someone's blood on your claws, it's just another reminder that you just beat the stuffing outta someone and that they'll always remember the pain you put in 'em. They'll remember how you stood over them while they're helpless, and you can do whatever you want._

_Take their stuff, make fun of 'em, or worst... Kill 'em._

_If I win, I just leave 'em the hell alone. They get a square deal when they mess with me._

_Then the decide to get tougher and go for revenge, and they come back and try to fight and lose again. It's a stupid circle of happenings that I hate being a part of, but I have to be a part of it._

_You can't have peace without war, and you can't get war if there isn't any peace. It's just a thing about nature._

_Everyone thinks about shit differently, I bet. Someone might be thinkin' that what I'm saying is a bunch of crap and that fighting is the best thing ever thought of by folks who're alive._

_I say to hell with that. I've had enough fighting in my life to know that it ain't showbiz._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Though... Now that I think about it, if I could... I know how I could help out other folks._

_Keep 'em from fightin'... Have 'em get along._

_They all find something happy in their lives 'cause I don't have anything. What's to lose when you got everything to give?_

_I know all about fighting. I should call myself an expert or a pro or something..._

_Too bad nobody would really believe me, and things would continue to be all fighty and nobody ever gets along for long._

_And there I am again, proving that I'm a powerless piece of crap that can't get anyone to believe him. I'm a giant, ugly monster that beats the crap outta people for shits and giggles._

_I never felt anything to anyone other than anger. I swear, I been angry for so long at so many folks, I probably can't feel nothin' else ever._

_Ugh..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

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_..._

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_..._

_..._

_GCK!_

"STOP FEIGNING YOUR UNCONCIOUSNESS! I CAN SENSE YOU ARE AWAKE!"

_I felt Palkia's grip on my upper body as he stepped off me and lifted me up. I opened both my eyes on the spot to stare at it's ugly mug._

_Except it was all... not crystal-y._

"HUMPH... WHAT A HIDEOUS CREATURE, NOW THAT I LOOK AT YOU WITH A SCHOLARLY EYE. ONLY SOMETHING AS FOUL AS YOU COULD COME FROM THE VOID THAT KRAUSMER SOUGHT," Palkia began.

"Like you should be talkin'," I sassed.

"I'LL IGNORE YOUR INSOLENCE FOR THE TIME BEING. HOWEVER..."

_He was holding that fatass Krausmer in his other claw. Looked normal again... Nothing freaky about him._

"BOTH YOU AND YOUR 'MASTER' SHALL BE FACING JUSTICE FOR YOUR HEINOUS CRIMES OF DESTROYING THIS WORLD WITH MY POWER," Palkia bellowed.

"Screw that. It's all on him. I was with him 'cause he made me, then he dumped me into that stupid 'Void' he wanted," I told him, trying to make an excuse.

"I CARE NOT. YOU SERVED HIM ONCE, AND YOU FOUGHT ME DURING MY INSANITY. YOU ARE A LOYAL MINION TO KRAUSMER THROUGH AND THROUGH- YOUR PETTY ATTEMPTS TO GAIN AMNESTY ARE FUTILE."

"Palkia! Stop!", Juniper's voice called out.

_Palkia looked down at Juniper, who was also next to Mac just a little bit away from itself._

"HM? AND WHY SHOULD I CEASE DISPENSING JUSTICE TO CRIMINALS OF THE LOWLIEST CALIBER?"

"Because Canderack isn't just... He never wanted to help Krausmer! He tried to help us fight him!"

"AND IN HIS OWN FEAR, HE ATTACKED ME TO SAVE HIMSELF FROM POTENTIALLY FALLING VICTIM TO MY IRRATIONAL WRATH. YOU CANNOT CHANGE MATTERS THAT ARE OUT OF YOUR HANDS, LITTLE GIRL."

"You... You're..."

"I AM THE ALMIGHTY DRAGON OF SPACE. OPPOSE ME IN MY JUDGMENT, AND I SHALL SENTENCE YOU AS WELL TO THE SAME PUNISHMENT AS THESE TWO CRETINS."

_Juniper sunk like she had no idea what to do._

_Krausmer was quiet the whole time, just listening on like he wasn't there._

_Palkia looked back to us._

"AND AS JUDGE FOR YOUR CRIMES, I HEREBY SENTENCE YOU TO YOUR PUNISHMENT," Palkia bellowed once more.

_Then a big rip in space opened again. No doubt about it... It's the Void._

"Oh no. You aren't tossing me and him in there," I said.

"OH, BUT I AM. YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF FIGHTING NATURE'S LAW. ARE YOU SUGGESTING YOU CAN OPPOSE ME EVEN THOUGH YOU LOST TO MY POWER EARLIER?"

"Wouldn't hurt to try."

"LAUGHABLE."

"Please, Palkia...! Just... Don't!", Juniper cried.

"NO. I MUST CORRECT WHAT HAS BEEN WRONGED. I SHALL, HOWEVER, GRANT BOTH MINION AND MASTER LAST WORDS THAT MAY BE SHARED WITH THE REST OF YOU ALL."

_I actually looked around, and there were all sorts of Pokémon gathered. The treasure townies, the Magnezone cops, a bunch of Ice-types that I think was led by Turv... All sorts._

_Palkia glared at Krausmer._

"HAVE YOU ANYTHING TO SAY?"

_Krausmer cleared his throat._

"I have nothing to say. None would want to have it, anyway," Krausmer calmly answered.

"VERY WELL. AND YOU?", Palkia said, turning his head to me.

"Yeh. I got somethin' to say. And it's right to you, big guy."

"OH? AND JUST WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL ME?"

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"You're a prick."

_Palkia glared at me for the longest time. I looked him dead in the eyes, too._

_And I swear, I could've sworn and crossed my heart and hoped to die, that I saw the slightest grin form on his face that just SCREAMED "I know"._

"ENOUGH TALK, THEN. MAY BOTH YOUR MASTER AND YOUR HIDEOUS VISAGE BE NEVER SEEN IN OUR WORLD EVER AGAIN, OR ELSE FACE YOUR DESTRUCTION!"

_Then he threw his arms up, and chucked us both into the rip in space- into the Void._

_I saw the entrance slowly close, and I didn't do a damn thing to even try to fight my way back._

_You gotta know when to fold 'em._

_Here I am again... Floating in this damn place. I did just notice however that my shell was red again. Maybe Palkia took the Void outta me and Krausmer to get his sanity back?_

_Whatever._

_I looked over at Krausmer. He looked at me._

_We stared at eachother for a bit, just idly drifting..._

_We were starting to drift apart into the darkness. It was getting harder and harder to see him._

"So this is the sensation... The feeling of your own body, dissipating into true, absolute nothingness...", Krausmer spoke.

He continued, "The grip of the Void shall gnaw away at our very bodies, until we too are a part of it for eternity. The Void is where all has begun, and all shall end. We are merely returning to our true roots, you and I. We are no different."

"To hell with your crackpot ideas. You can't make me do what you want any more," I said, telling him off.

_He started to disappear into the blackness around me._

"You shall join me, as well as the Void, in our eternal rest from everything worldly. It will be best, either way. I shall not have to gaze upon your hideous visage ever again once I join the Void..."

"You're obsessed with absolutely NOTHING. You got a damn 'Void' in your frickin' HEAD! You're nuts, you're CRAZY, you're SO insane that you made Palkia look like a NORMAL guy!"

_Urngh... I felt myself starting to feel pressure all around me._

_The last of what I could see of Krausmer was gone. I could hear his voice echoing, though..._

"Do not resist. YOU will disappear soon, as well."

_... Is that how I have to go out? I just disappear into nothing, and nobody will ever know me again?_

_What about all those folks back in that other world I was just thrown out of? Could I remember them if I went away forever?_

_Going away forever..._

_I sighed. I started to let it take me._

_It'll... be over soon._

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_Wait a damn second!_

_I ain't giving up to this shit!_

_If I'm gonna die, I'm dying on my OWN terms!_

_I started to wrestle against the blackness around me, trying to get it off._

"I'm NEVER gonna do what you say! I'm NEVER gonna vanish! That's just what you damn want, and I'm gonna LIVE! I'm gonna live just to piss you off! I don't care if you can't hear me or see me, but I'm not gonna let you win! This fight is MINE!"

_I kept struggling. I had to find a way out._

_There has to be some kind of way out..._

_When it can open up and close, it's bound to open up again at some point. I just gotta hold out until that happens._

_I might get dumped into the future where everyone's dead but me and there's nothing but steel types going around..._

_Wherever it dumps me, or however I get saved..._

_I'm getting out of this Void, one way or another. I swear on my horns that's gonna be the last move of this game._

_I kept moving around until I stopped feeling like I was going to be crushed. I felt free... Sorta._

_I looked around. I could see myself, yeah, but everything else was just dark._

_It's like swimming in air. And it's pitch-black at night._

_Two things that don't mix very well together._

_It felt like hours that I was looking around, 'swimming' around trying to find an exit, but no luck. Maybe it'd just take more time..._

_Or maybe I really couldn't get out of here and my only option is to disappear._

_... To hell with that._

_If I'm gonna disappear, I'm gonna starve to death first. I'm gonna DIE before I get turned into nothing, just to stick it to that fat piece of crap!_

_I heaved a sigh. I stopped looking after a while... I needed to rest. I needed to get my strength back._

_I haven't eaten in a day though... I don't think I'll be getting a lot of energy soon._

_I closed my eyes and tried to picture a bunch of flowers._

_At least I could do that. If I could see things, they were gonna be in my head. I could be anywhere and anything I wanted as long as I imagined it._

_I'll at least die happy that way._

_I opened my eyes again, just to-_

_Wait..._

_What's that?_

_I... I see something! Over..._

_It's over there!_

_I gotta go to it!_

_It's a chance to get out!_

_Hallelujah, I'm getting outta here!_

_I started kicking like mad to try and get over to it._

_It'll be another shot..._

_Another shot to set things right._

_Maybe._

_Or I'll just... Hurt others again._

_Whatever. I'm gonna live, and that's all I care about._

_I'm getting the hell out of here!_

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And so, Canderack was to flee his prison once again and escape to a world beyond... A new world with new possibilities. Will he truly learn from his past mistakes? Will his wish be granted? Shall the Void continue to haunt him wherever he goes?

All of these questions shall be answered... Though that is a tale for another time, and another day.

The poison of the Void has finally left the world of Pokémon. Palkia has purged it fully- And taken back control. The world has received it's antidote...

Its Antivenom.

Fin


	26. What ever happened to?

Antivenom

Epilogue

"What ever happened to...?"

**Author's Note: **The purpose of this chapter is to finalize the fates of all characters mentioned within the story. If I have jumped over someone, please let me know. Thank you.

Palkia

Palkia, in apologies for the trouble his powers have caused, used his might to grant life-giving water to the world (since Kyogre was deep asleep). With a final farewell and an urging to take care and nurture the world back to health, Palkia returned to Spacial Rift, never to be disturbed again.

Juniper

Juniper, having taken Palkia's words to heart and the memory of Canderack as well, she formed a group of concerned Pokémon to start growing new forests and greenery, and to spread many fields of flowers across the world to pay homage to the misunderstanding of Canderack, and an appreciation for his efforts to right his wrongs. She has lived happily ever since.

Mac

Mac, having graduated from Marowak's teachings, decided to take it upon himself to advise, instruct and train recruits for Wigglytuff's Guild in Treasure Town to take steps towards preventing another incident like the Cult of the Void from ever cropping up ever again. He has been successful with his work so far.

Xiva

Xiva had unfortunately perished during the invasion of the Ghost Army, having resisted their attempts of capture. The Snow Witch's demise has been brought forth to Turv, and he has put a tribute of Wintertonian goods at her snow-covered haven all on his lonesome in memory of her kindness and companionship.

Gwendalyn

Gwendalyn vanished once again, now having decided to learn from her extremely ignorant mistake of ever allowing someone else to know of powers that should never be tampered with. She has sealed herself away, somewhere underground in the world to study the powers of nature for the rest of eternity (since she IS a ghost, and therefore is incapable of dying of old age).

Magnezone's Police Force

The global police force resumed it's duties of keeping the world safe from outlaws while receiving aid from explorers' guilds from time to time. An investigation was done by some Officers Magnemite into Krausmer's background and discovered a program that was to execute exceptionally dangerous criminals and criminal masterminds so that they may never be a threat to the world, due to their resistance to rehabilitation. The souls of the executed were found out to be the ones that made up Krausmer. Magnezone was shut down by the majority of the squad permanently, or until his reasoning drives were repaired. Senior Officers Magneton elected a new Chief Magneton in Magnezone's stead until he could be repaired.

Garturunk and the Nutcrackers

The Nutcrackers were granted a pardon for their criminal actions for their assistance in the war against the Ghost Army. In return, the Nutcrackers vowed to never get involved in criminal business ever again. This was a bluff to keep the law off their backs, and they continue to illegally deal in information and run a vast spying network to this very day.

Turv

Turv had an ice sculpture of himself carved and put into the center of Winterton in commemoration for his efforts in the rebellion against Krausmer. He has since been elected Mayor and frequently visits Glalie, and Xiva's snow-bound lair to grieve her loss. His father was eventually found, arrested and tried for abuse of his son and was found guilty and sentenced to prison to face his crimes. Turv still replays the memories of Canderack in his mind, from the moment he saved him to the moment he was thrown into the Void. He continues to lead Winterton with a quiet and shy demeanor, but a loving heart.

Torkoal

Torkoal continues to stay by the hot springs of Treasure Town. Winterton citizens visit him frequently to learn history, as a sort of thanks by Turv for the favor he had granted him. Torkoal remains a happy old fellow, with a degenerating physical condition.

Wigglytuff's Guild

The Treasure Town Guild has stepped up it's involvement with the catching of outlaws and big bosses out in the world to prevent another Cult of the Void incident. Wigglytuff himself still remains as ditzy as ever, much to everyone's chagrin. Some things about the world simply never change.

Siev

Siev was arrested, tried and imprisoned for multiple counts of assault, theft, murder and consumption of sentient beings. Juniper herself plead as a witness in his trial, and saw to his conviction and sentence. He has not left his prison cell since, and tries to remember the 'happy' times helping Krausmer.

The Ghost Army

The Ghost Army dispersed and fled to the far corners of the world. Many of them were actually under Krausmer's mind control, and turned themselves in for the crimes they had committed. The remaining, willing members either hid in Ghost Tower or ruins across the globe. Some have been arrested, but many are still at large. Ghost Tower itself remains as a dungeon that has started to become populated with wild Ghost-type Pokémon that serves as a test of strength to explorers.

Krausmer

Neither heads nor tails has been seen or heard of from the oppressive tyrant. His disappearance into the Void has done away with his threat to the world of Pokémon for all time. He has, however, escaped the Void as well by chance and his current activities are unable to be known by anyone.

Canderack

Oh, you want me to tell you just what happened to our flip-flop mooded, crude, brutal yet lovable anti-hero? Sorry. 'Nother story for a 'nother day.


End file.
